About the Church
The Kupreliškis Church of St Michael the Archangel is an impressive wooden church, standing in the small town of Kupreliškis, in Biržai district. This church, with its vernacular architectural features and unique historical background, is a true architectural monument.
The first steps towards the present church were taken as early as 1787, when the first manor chapel was built in the Kupreliškis cemetery. Later, in 1861, the owner of Raudondvaris, Elžbieta Kušeliauskienė, built a new church here, with an organ of 3 stops and 2 bells. But this was only the beginning – in 1898 the priest J. Ramonas set about expanding the church, adding a chancel and two sacristies and enlarging the presbytery. Although the church had only a modest 3.5 hectares of land, in 1904 the generous Jurgis Tunaitis donated a further 15 hectares to it.
The church's architecture is a fine example of folk art. The rectangular-plan building (26 × 10 metres), although it has no tower, has three altars, which gives the interior a special sense of sacredness. The gate of the stone-masonry churchyard wall, with three openings, is also worth noting – above the central opening rises a second storey with numerous openings. Next to the church stands a wooden three-tiered bell tower, which has become an inseparable part of the church ensemble.
In the Kupreliškis cemetery, next to the church, traces of history can also be found – buried here are the church's parish priests Aleksandras Papučka (1914–1977) and Gediminas Ignas Blynas (1917–1981).
Despite all the changes the church has undergone over more than a century, it has kept its authenticity and aesthetic value. Repairs carried out in 1928 and 1945 – roofing with sheet metal, rendering the foundations, installing pews and repainting the altars – testify to the community's constant care and affection for this sacred building.
The Kupreliškis Church of St Michael the Archangel is not only a house of prayer but also a place where history, culture and community spirit meet.
The first steps towards the present church were taken as early as 1787, when the first manor chapel was built in the Kupreliškis cemetery. Later, in 1861, the owner of Raudondvaris, Elžbieta Kušeliauskienė, built a new church here, with an organ of 3 stops and 2 bells. But this was only the beginning – in 1898 the priest J. Ramonas set about expanding the church, adding a chancel and two sacristies and enlarging the presbytery. Although the church had only a modest 3.5 hectares of land, in 1904 the generous Jurgis Tunaitis donated a further 15 hectares to it.
The church's architecture is a fine example of folk art. The rectangular-plan building (26 × 10 metres), although it has no tower, has three altars, which gives the interior a special sense of sacredness. The gate of the stone-masonry churchyard wall, with three openings, is also worth noting – above the central opening rises a second storey with numerous openings. Next to the church stands a wooden three-tiered bell tower, which has become an inseparable part of the church ensemble.
In the Kupreliškis cemetery, next to the church, traces of history can also be found – buried here are the church's parish priests Aleksandras Papučka (1914–1977) and Gediminas Ignas Blynas (1917–1981).
Despite all the changes the church has undergone over more than a century, it has kept its authenticity and aesthetic value. Repairs carried out in 1928 and 1945 – roofing with sheet metal, rendering the foundations, installing pews and repainting the altars – testify to the community's constant care and affection for this sacred building.
The Kupreliškis Church of St Michael the Archangel is not only a house of prayer but also a place where history, culture and community spirit meet.
Gallery and Resources
Archive captions are shown in Lithuanian.
Pirmoji dvaro koplyčia Kupreliškio kapinėse pastatyta 1787 m. Raudondvario savininkė E.Kušeliauskienė 1861 m. pastatė bažnyčią. Kunigo J.Ramono rūpesčiu 1898 m. ji buvo padidinta. Medinė, liaudies architektūros formų.
Siužetinė. Kupreliškio Šv. arkangelo Mykolo bažnyčia ir vartai. Pirmoji dvaro koplyčia Kupreliškio kapinėse pastatyta 1787 m. Raudondvario savininkė E.Kušeliauskienė 1861 m. pastatė bažnyčią. Kunigo J. Ramono rūpesčiu 1898 m. ji buvo padidinta. Bažnyčia yra medinė, liaudies architektūros formų.