About the Church
The Church of St Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in Stulgiai, situated in the village of Stulgiai near Kryžkalnis, has a long and rich history. This gem of a shrine draws visitors not only for its architectural beauty but also for the many interesting historical facts connected with its construction and with events over the years.
The first church in Stulgiai was built in 1797 at the initiative of Matas Minmantas, the lord of the Vaidatoniai manor. It received parish rights as early as 1801, when Bishop Steponas Giedraitis assigned it a valakas of land. Although this beginning was modest, it laid the foundations for the church's future stages of growth. At that time the parish was small, covering only a few villages and manors. Interestingly, the curate Antanas Savickis, who worked here in 1828–1829, was not only a clergyman but also a poet and translator.
In 1863 the church went through difficult times, when the curate Matas Veitas was exiled to Arkhangelsk province. In 1867 it was noted that the church was dilapidated and in need of repair, which was carried out that same year. However, the real turning point came at the beginning of the 20th century, when the present masonry church was built to a design by the Warsaw architect Józef Pius Dziekoński. Construction cost around 70,000 roubles and was funded by the parishioners. The parish priest Antanas Skinderis oversaw the construction of this Gothic Revival church, although the tower was never built.
In 1915 the church was consecrated, and its interior features four altars and stained-glass windows. In the churchyard stands a wooden bell tower with two bells, cast at various foundries in Warsaw and Moscow. These bells are significant not only as sacred objects but also as witnesses to history, since both bells were taken during the First World War but later returned.
The church organ also has its own unique history. It is thought to have been moved from the Benedictine church in Kražiai at the beginning of the 20th century. Although some of the organ's components are not original, most of the pipes and the wind chest have survived authentic.
In 2015, on the feast of the Assumption (Žolinė), the centenary of the church was marked. An oak sculpture of the Sorrowful Christ (Rūpintojėlis) was unveiled in the churchyard, symbolising the parish's continuing connection with its past and its faith.
Today the Church of St Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in Stulgiai remains not only a religious but also a cultural site, important both to the local community and to all who cherish Lithuania's cultural heritage.
The first church in Stulgiai was built in 1797 at the initiative of Matas Minmantas, the lord of the Vaidatoniai manor. It received parish rights as early as 1801, when Bishop Steponas Giedraitis assigned it a valakas of land. Although this beginning was modest, it laid the foundations for the church's future stages of growth. At that time the parish was small, covering only a few villages and manors. Interestingly, the curate Antanas Savickis, who worked here in 1828–1829, was not only a clergyman but also a poet and translator.
In 1863 the church went through difficult times, when the curate Matas Veitas was exiled to Arkhangelsk province. In 1867 it was noted that the church was dilapidated and in need of repair, which was carried out that same year. However, the real turning point came at the beginning of the 20th century, when the present masonry church was built to a design by the Warsaw architect Józef Pius Dziekoński. Construction cost around 70,000 roubles and was funded by the parishioners. The parish priest Antanas Skinderis oversaw the construction of this Gothic Revival church, although the tower was never built.
In 1915 the church was consecrated, and its interior features four altars and stained-glass windows. In the churchyard stands a wooden bell tower with two bells, cast at various foundries in Warsaw and Moscow. These bells are significant not only as sacred objects but also as witnesses to history, since both bells were taken during the First World War but later returned.
The church organ also has its own unique history. It is thought to have been moved from the Benedictine church in Kražiai at the beginning of the 20th century. Although some of the organ's components are not original, most of the pipes and the wind chest have survived authentic.
In 2015, on the feast of the Assumption (Žolinė), the centenary of the church was marked. An oak sculpture of the Sorrowful Christ (Rūpintojėlis) was unveiled in the churchyard, symbolising the parish's continuing connection with its past and its faith.
Today the Church of St Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in Stulgiai remains not only a religious but also a cultural site, important both to the local community and to all who cherish Lithuania's cultural heritage.
Gallery and Resources
Archive captions are shown in Lithuanian.
Stulgių bažnyčia.