About the Church
The Church of Sts Peter and Paul, Apostles at Krinčinas is remarkable both for its history and its architecture, standing in a picturesque spot in the small town of Krinčinas. This Baroque church, built in 1782, is not only a religious but also a cultural heritage site, drawing both local people and visitors from other regions.
The first church in this area is recorded as early as 1585, and the second was built in 1611 by the famous magnate of the time, Dmitry Kurbsky. This was a significant event — the new church was accompanied by a parish school, whose establishment shows the attention paid at the time to education and religious formation. The presbytery buildings were also important in the life of the community — in 1643 a presbytery and a school were added to the parish's facilities.
An inventory of 1736 records yet another, newer church, but during the uprising of 1794 it was plundered by robbers who took many valuables. After these events and several years of subsequent change, the present masonry church was built on the initiative of the canon Jonas Jeronimas Šarkevičius between 1777 and 1782.
The church's architecture is in the late Baroque style. It has a rectangular plan and a basilica-type structure with two towers. Inside there are three naves — the main nave is wider and taller than the side ones. Five altars and cylindrical vaults give the interior particular beauty and a sense of spiritual elevation. The churchyard is surrounded by a wall of stone and rubble, along which stand small chapels of the Stations of the Cross.
It is also interesting that in the churchyard stands a Historicist three-tier brick bell tower, built in 1908 by the parish priest M. Požėla. The poet Antanas Vienažindys also served at the church, working here as curate for six years and leaving a deep mark on the hearts of the local people.
The church's interior decoration was renewed in 1939 by the craftsman Antanas Krivickas, adding further aesthetic value to the interior. The priest Zenonas Karečka is also buried in the churchyard, his life and work recorded in the history of this church.
This church is undoubtedly a unique and valuable part of Lithuania's religious and cultural heritage, inviting visitors to discover not only its architecture but also its rich history.
The first church in this area is recorded as early as 1585, and the second was built in 1611 by the famous magnate of the time, Dmitry Kurbsky. This was a significant event — the new church was accompanied by a parish school, whose establishment shows the attention paid at the time to education and religious formation. The presbytery buildings were also important in the life of the community — in 1643 a presbytery and a school were added to the parish's facilities.
An inventory of 1736 records yet another, newer church, but during the uprising of 1794 it was plundered by robbers who took many valuables. After these events and several years of subsequent change, the present masonry church was built on the initiative of the canon Jonas Jeronimas Šarkevičius between 1777 and 1782.
The church's architecture is in the late Baroque style. It has a rectangular plan and a basilica-type structure with two towers. Inside there are three naves — the main nave is wider and taller than the side ones. Five altars and cylindrical vaults give the interior particular beauty and a sense of spiritual elevation. The churchyard is surrounded by a wall of stone and rubble, along which stand small chapels of the Stations of the Cross.
It is also interesting that in the churchyard stands a Historicist three-tier brick bell tower, built in 1908 by the parish priest M. Požėla. The poet Antanas Vienažindys also served at the church, working here as curate for six years and leaving a deep mark on the hearts of the local people.
The church's interior decoration was renewed in 1939 by the craftsman Antanas Krivickas, adding further aesthetic value to the interior. The priest Zenonas Karečka is also buried in the churchyard, his life and work recorded in the history of this church.
This church is undoubtedly a unique and valuable part of Lithuania's religious and cultural heritage, inviting visitors to discover not only its architecture but also its rich history.