About the Church
Berčiūnai's Lithuanian Martyrs Church: a story of history and revival.
In the Panevėžys district, in the village of Berčiūnai, by the Sanžilė stream, stands the distinctive Church of the Lithuanian Martyrs at Berčiūnai. This church is notable not only for its modernist design but also for its rich history, which encompasses social change and the struggle for religious freedom.
The interwar resort and the first Masses.
In the interwar period Berčiūnai became a popular resort on the outskirts of Panevėžys, where many townspeople spent their Sundays and holy days. From 1930 priests of Panevėžys Cathedral began celebrating Mass in the open air or in various local villas and on verandas. This tradition eventually led to a chapel being set up in the villa of the Bishop of Panevėžys.
The old church: building and destruction.
In 1937 a committee was formed to build a church at Berčiūnai. In 1938 a storm felled many trees, providing an opportunity to obtain building material cheaply. To a design prepared by the architect Jonas Mulokas, construction of the first masonry church began in 1939–1940. Despite the Soviet occupation and the Second World War, the building work continued, and in the autumn of 1941 the church's foundations were blessed. By 1944 the church was standing – white, with a red tiled roof and stained glass by Stasys Ušinskas – though its construction had not been fully completed.
Unfortunately, the church suffered heavy losses when, in 1944, the retreating Germans blew up nearby munitions stores. In the post-war years the church was closed, its stained glass and furnishings were distributed to other churches, and the building was eventually demolished with explosives.
The rise of the new church.
In 1989, with the start of Lithuania's national revival, the Ateitininkai camp was returned to the Church. On the initiative of the then parish priest of Naujamiestis, Rimantas Gudelis, work began in 1994 on building a new church. The design was prepared by the architect Algis Šironas, and the church was raised near the bridge over the Sanžilė canal. It was completed and consecrated on 14 June 1997, a day of mourning and hope.
The new church received back the stained-glass window “The Heart of Jesus” by Stasys Ušinskas, which in the post-war years had been moved to the church at Krekenava. Between the new church and the foundations of the old one stretches an ensemble of fourteen Stations of the Cross, created by the craftsmen Adolfas Teresius, A. Varžinskas and M. Būga.
Rising on the ruins of the old church is the monument “The Resurrection of Christ” by the sculptor Antanas Kmieliauskas, symbolising the determination and revival of the Berčiūnai community and of all Lithuania. It is a place that reflects not only religious feeling but also the nation's struggle for freedom and faith.
The Church of the Lithuanian Martyrs at Berčiūnai is an important marker of culture and history, testifying to people's resolve and faith despite every hardship.
In the Panevėžys district, in the village of Berčiūnai, by the Sanžilė stream, stands the distinctive Church of the Lithuanian Martyrs at Berčiūnai. This church is notable not only for its modernist design but also for its rich history, which encompasses social change and the struggle for religious freedom.
The interwar resort and the first Masses.
In the interwar period Berčiūnai became a popular resort on the outskirts of Panevėžys, where many townspeople spent their Sundays and holy days. From 1930 priests of Panevėžys Cathedral began celebrating Mass in the open air or in various local villas and on verandas. This tradition eventually led to a chapel being set up in the villa of the Bishop of Panevėžys.
The old church: building and destruction.
In 1937 a committee was formed to build a church at Berčiūnai. In 1938 a storm felled many trees, providing an opportunity to obtain building material cheaply. To a design prepared by the architect Jonas Mulokas, construction of the first masonry church began in 1939–1940. Despite the Soviet occupation and the Second World War, the building work continued, and in the autumn of 1941 the church's foundations were blessed. By 1944 the church was standing – white, with a red tiled roof and stained glass by Stasys Ušinskas – though its construction had not been fully completed.
Unfortunately, the church suffered heavy losses when, in 1944, the retreating Germans blew up nearby munitions stores. In the post-war years the church was closed, its stained glass and furnishings were distributed to other churches, and the building was eventually demolished with explosives.
The rise of the new church.
In 1989, with the start of Lithuania's national revival, the Ateitininkai camp was returned to the Church. On the initiative of the then parish priest of Naujamiestis, Rimantas Gudelis, work began in 1994 on building a new church. The design was prepared by the architect Algis Šironas, and the church was raised near the bridge over the Sanžilė canal. It was completed and consecrated on 14 June 1997, a day of mourning and hope.
The new church received back the stained-glass window “The Heart of Jesus” by Stasys Ušinskas, which in the post-war years had been moved to the church at Krekenava. Between the new church and the foundations of the old one stretches an ensemble of fourteen Stations of the Cross, created by the craftsmen Adolfas Teresius, A. Varžinskas and M. Būga.
Rising on the ruins of the old church is the monument “The Resurrection of Christ” by the sculptor Antanas Kmieliauskas, symbolising the determination and revival of the Berčiūnai community and of all Lithuania. It is a place that reflects not only religious feeling but also the nation's struggle for freedom and faith.
The Church of the Lithuanian Martyrs at Berčiūnai is an important marker of culture and history, testifying to people's resolve and faith despite every hardship.