About the Church
The church of the Holy Trinity at Panemunis is an interesting monument of architecture and history, standing in the small town of Panemunis, by the river Nemunėlis. The church is a fine example of the Historicist style with Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Gothic architectural features.
The church's history begins as far back as the 17th century, when around 1620 Martynas Marcelis Giedraitis founded a monastery of the Canons Regular of Penance in Panemunis. Although the monastery was closed in 1832, its presence left a deep mark on the religious and cultural history of the town. Marriage ceremonies had already been held here from 1682, when a parish was already active here.
In 1760 a new wooden church was built, and an almshouse and a presbytery were later set up alongside it. In the 19th century the small town of Panemunis underwent several significant changes: the manor owner Teofilius Komaras built a new masonry presbytery in 1861–1863, and in 1862 the church's interior was repaired and repainted and an organ was installed. However, these were not easy times: the Panemunis vicar Konstantinas Piesliakas took an active part in the uprising of 1863 and was exiled to penal servitude for it.
As time went on, the church continued to change – a wooden almshouse was built in 1881, and a masonry bell tower with three bells in 1901. Unfortunately, the church burned down in 1915, but the community did not give up and set up an altar in the bell tower, soon afterwards building a temporary church.
Between the wars, on the initiative of parish priest Vincentas Norkus, the present stone-and-brick masonry church was built, its design prepared by Bistrom. The new church was consecrated in 1936 by Bishop Kazimieras Paltarokas. Inside, the church is basilica-plan, three-aisled, with a single tower. Its churchyard wall is likewise built of stone and brick, and the aforementioned bell tower stands within it.
During and after the Second World War the church was repaired, cared for by parish priests Augustinas Liepinis and Jonas Nagulevičius. Today the church of the Holy Trinity at Panemunis is not only a centre of local worship but also an important cultural heritage site, recalling the rich history of Panemunis.
The church's history begins as far back as the 17th century, when around 1620 Martynas Marcelis Giedraitis founded a monastery of the Canons Regular of Penance in Panemunis. Although the monastery was closed in 1832, its presence left a deep mark on the religious and cultural history of the town. Marriage ceremonies had already been held here from 1682, when a parish was already active here.
In 1760 a new wooden church was built, and an almshouse and a presbytery were later set up alongside it. In the 19th century the small town of Panemunis underwent several significant changes: the manor owner Teofilius Komaras built a new masonry presbytery in 1861–1863, and in 1862 the church's interior was repaired and repainted and an organ was installed. However, these were not easy times: the Panemunis vicar Konstantinas Piesliakas took an active part in the uprising of 1863 and was exiled to penal servitude for it.
As time went on, the church continued to change – a wooden almshouse was built in 1881, and a masonry bell tower with three bells in 1901. Unfortunately, the church burned down in 1915, but the community did not give up and set up an altar in the bell tower, soon afterwards building a temporary church.
Between the wars, on the initiative of parish priest Vincentas Norkus, the present stone-and-brick masonry church was built, its design prepared by Bistrom. The new church was consecrated in 1936 by Bishop Kazimieras Paltarokas. Inside, the church is basilica-plan, three-aisled, with a single tower. Its churchyard wall is likewise built of stone and brick, and the aforementioned bell tower stands within it.
During and after the Second World War the church was repaired, cared for by parish priests Augustinas Liepinis and Jonas Nagulevičius. Today the church of the Holy Trinity at Panemunis is not only a centre of local worship but also an important cultural heritage site, recalling the rich history of Panemunis.
Gallery and Resources
Archive captions are shown in Lithuanian.
Ilgametis Panemunio Švč. Trejybės bažnyčios kunigas Augustinas Liepinis (1896-1977), nusifotografavęs su motina Veronika ir broliu Antanu (kairėje) savo tėviškėje Zilgalėje (Latvija, šalia Neretos). Į Panemunį A. Liepinis buvo paskirtas 1941 m. Jis - pedagoginių ir religinių veikalų autorius, po karo suremontavo bažnyčią. Reverso viršutiniame dešiniajame kampe yra įrašas: „7 VI 18".
Panemunio Švč. Trejybės bažnyčios kunigas Vincas Norkus. Jo iniciatyva 1927–1936 m. pastatyta Bistromo suprojektuota dabartinė akmenų ir plytų mūro bažnyčia. Reverso viršutiniame kairiajame kampe yra fotografo spaudas: „Foto. L. Liaudansko Pandėly".