About the Church
The church of St George at Tauragnai is a wooden shrine, standing peacefully in the small town of Tauragnai, in Utena district. Its history reaches back to ancient times and is rich in interesting events and personalities.
The first church at Tauragnai was built as far back as 1387 at Taurapilis, just after the start of Lithuania's baptism. It was one of the first seven churches in Lithuania, and also the first in northern Lithuania. Bishops took care of the shrine's construction and upkeep, and the Tauragnai district itself was granted to the Bishop of Vilnius.
At the end of the 16th century the presbytery held not only the Taurapilis farmstead but also the surrounding villages: Alžutėnai, Grašiai, Padvariškiai and the village of Žiezdriai. At that time two churches operated in Tauragnai – one in the town and one at Taurapilis. However, at the end of the 18th century the situation changed, as a newly built church at Tauragnai is mentioned in 1796.
In 1874 Fr Feliksas Polikarpas Mazulevičius built a new wooden church, which became an important centre of the local community. In 1886 the newly arrived vicar Mykolas Šaikūnas began organising the distribution of Lithuanian-language books, spreading the Lithuanian word and culture. Before the First World War the writer Juozas Šnapšys-Margalis also served as priest at Tauragnai, contributing to the fostering of local education and culture. In 1907 a branch of the "Saulė" Society was founded, which set up a girls' school and a library-reading room.
However, the First World War did not bring much joy to Tauragnai. Three bells were taken from the wooden bell tower to Russia, and in 1929 the parish acquired two new ones. Despite the difficulties, the local community always strove to restore its shrine. In 1941 the presbytery and farm buildings burned down, but on the initiative of M. Nakas and with funds from the parishioners the church was repaired, and the artist Bronius Žiedas restored the paintings.
On 9 July 1944 the church burned down again, but the parishioners did not give up – they set up a temporary chapel in the parish hall, where the altars from the cemetery chapel were even moved. On 30 April 1967 the parish hall burned down, but two years later the authorities allowed the purchase of a house in the village of Priepalė and the fitting-out of a new church there. In the autumn of 1969 the new church was consecrated, and in 1990 the presbytery's outbuildings were returned to the parish.
Today the church of St George at Tauragnai not only recalls the great persistence and faith of its parishioners but also bears witness to long-standing traditions and love for their land and for God.
The first church at Tauragnai was built as far back as 1387 at Taurapilis, just after the start of Lithuania's baptism. It was one of the first seven churches in Lithuania, and also the first in northern Lithuania. Bishops took care of the shrine's construction and upkeep, and the Tauragnai district itself was granted to the Bishop of Vilnius.
At the end of the 16th century the presbytery held not only the Taurapilis farmstead but also the surrounding villages: Alžutėnai, Grašiai, Padvariškiai and the village of Žiezdriai. At that time two churches operated in Tauragnai – one in the town and one at Taurapilis. However, at the end of the 18th century the situation changed, as a newly built church at Tauragnai is mentioned in 1796.
In 1874 Fr Feliksas Polikarpas Mazulevičius built a new wooden church, which became an important centre of the local community. In 1886 the newly arrived vicar Mykolas Šaikūnas began organising the distribution of Lithuanian-language books, spreading the Lithuanian word and culture. Before the First World War the writer Juozas Šnapšys-Margalis also served as priest at Tauragnai, contributing to the fostering of local education and culture. In 1907 a branch of the "Saulė" Society was founded, which set up a girls' school and a library-reading room.
However, the First World War did not bring much joy to Tauragnai. Three bells were taken from the wooden bell tower to Russia, and in 1929 the parish acquired two new ones. Despite the difficulties, the local community always strove to restore its shrine. In 1941 the presbytery and farm buildings burned down, but on the initiative of M. Nakas and with funds from the parishioners the church was repaired, and the artist Bronius Žiedas restored the paintings.
On 9 July 1944 the church burned down again, but the parishioners did not give up – they set up a temporary chapel in the parish hall, where the altars from the cemetery chapel were even moved. On 30 April 1967 the parish hall burned down, but two years later the authorities allowed the purchase of a house in the village of Priepalė and the fitting-out of a new church there. In the autumn of 1969 the new church was consecrated, and in 1990 the presbytery's outbuildings were returned to the parish.
Today the church of St George at Tauragnai not only recalls the great persistence and faith of its parishioners but also bears witness to long-standing traditions and love for their land and for God.