About the Church
The church of the Holy Trinity at Pakalniai is an impressive site of spiritual heritage, situated in the small village of Pakalniai, near the southern shore of Lake Vidinkštis, just 11 kilometres from Utena. This church has a rich and dramatic history, whose origins go back to the 18th century.
The religious history of this place began as far back as 1762, when the then owner of the Pakalniai manor, Antanas Kulieša, built the first wooden church. More than a century later, in 1906, Fr Jurgis Kazlauskas, together with the parishioners, built another wooden church, which became a filial church of the Leliūnai parish. In 1928 this church became its own parish, which greatly contributed to the community's cohesion and the intensity of religious life.
Unfortunately, on 25 April 2000 a tragedy occurred – the church burned down. But this loss only strengthened the spirit of the local people all the more. On the initiative of parish priest K. Balsys, with the help of parishioners and supporters, a new masonry church, designed by the architect Kazys Tamošėtis, was built within two years. The foundation stone was laid by the Speaker of the Seimas, Vytautas Landsbergis, and the church was consecrated by Bishop J. Preikšas.
The new church impresses with its simplicity and modernity, while at the same time retaining the spirit of a traditional sacred building. In front of the church stands a three-tiered wayside shrine, built in the early 20th century, in which wooden sculptures can be found: the Crucified Christ, Our Lady of Lourdes, and St Joseph. These sculptures are valuable and are included in the register of art objects.
At Pakalniai it is also worth visiting the cemetery, where one can see the roofed post-shrine (stogastulpis) of Antanas Deveikis, rebuilt in 1987 by the well-known folk artist Stasys Karanauskas. The cemetery is also the resting place of local nobles, the Counts Pliateris, who found their eternal rest here.
Despite several difficult periods, the church of the Holy Trinity at Pakalniai remains an important religious and cultural centre, bearing witness to the devotion and unity of the parish's people. It is a place where history and the present come together, inviting every visitor to pause for a moment and reflect on the strength of faith and community.
The religious history of this place began as far back as 1762, when the then owner of the Pakalniai manor, Antanas Kulieša, built the first wooden church. More than a century later, in 1906, Fr Jurgis Kazlauskas, together with the parishioners, built another wooden church, which became a filial church of the Leliūnai parish. In 1928 this church became its own parish, which greatly contributed to the community's cohesion and the intensity of religious life.
Unfortunately, on 25 April 2000 a tragedy occurred – the church burned down. But this loss only strengthened the spirit of the local people all the more. On the initiative of parish priest K. Balsys, with the help of parishioners and supporters, a new masonry church, designed by the architect Kazys Tamošėtis, was built within two years. The foundation stone was laid by the Speaker of the Seimas, Vytautas Landsbergis, and the church was consecrated by Bishop J. Preikšas.
The new church impresses with its simplicity and modernity, while at the same time retaining the spirit of a traditional sacred building. In front of the church stands a three-tiered wayside shrine, built in the early 20th century, in which wooden sculptures can be found: the Crucified Christ, Our Lady of Lourdes, and St Joseph. These sculptures are valuable and are included in the register of art objects.
At Pakalniai it is also worth visiting the cemetery, where one can see the roofed post-shrine (stogastulpis) of Antanas Deveikis, rebuilt in 1987 by the well-known folk artist Stasys Karanauskas. The cemetery is also the resting place of local nobles, the Counts Pliateris, who found their eternal rest here.
Despite several difficult periods, the church of the Holy Trinity at Pakalniai remains an important religious and cultural centre, bearing witness to the devotion and unity of the parish's people. It is a place where history and the present come together, inviting every visitor to pause for a moment and reflect on the strength of faith and community.