About the Church
The Church of St Joseph in Papilė stands in the old part of the town of Papilė, on the right bank of the river Venta. It is one of the oldest parishes in this region, with roots going back to the 15th century.
According to Bishop Motiejus Valančius, the first church in Papilė was built in 1493. It was later replaced by other churches – the second was consecrated in 1636, and the third, in the Baroque style, was raised in 1791 under the patronage of Bishop Steponas Jonas Giedraitis. The present masonry church was built in 1880–1887 through the efforts of parish priest Juozas Ambrazevičius.
The red-brick church has Gothic Revival features: its plan is a Latin cross, the interior is divided into three aisles by columns, the chancel ends in a three-sided apse, and the main facade is flanked by two towers. The church has a remarkable history – an 18th-century bronze bell was hidden during the Soviet occupation, in 1940, and was not recovered until 1992.
Buried in the churchyard are the composer of religious hymns priest Juozapas Butkus and priest Stanislovas Pupaleigis. Nearby stands the house of priest Ignotas Vaišvila, built in 1808, in which the Simonas Daukantas memorial museum now operates.
According to Bishop Motiejus Valančius, the first church in Papilė was built in 1493. It was later replaced by other churches – the second was consecrated in 1636, and the third, in the Baroque style, was raised in 1791 under the patronage of Bishop Steponas Jonas Giedraitis. The present masonry church was built in 1880–1887 through the efforts of parish priest Juozas Ambrazevičius.
The red-brick church has Gothic Revival features: its plan is a Latin cross, the interior is divided into three aisles by columns, the chancel ends in a three-sided apse, and the main facade is flanked by two towers. The church has a remarkable history – an 18th-century bronze bell was hidden during the Soviet occupation, in 1940, and was not recovered until 1992.
Buried in the churchyard are the composer of religious hymns priest Juozapas Butkus and priest Stanislovas Pupaleigis. Nearby stands the house of priest Ignotas Vaišvila, built in 1808, in which the Simonas Daukantas memorial museum now operates.
Gallery and Resources
Archive captions are shown in Lithuanian.
Bažnyčia, plytų mūro, dvibokštė, nufotografuota iš pagrindinio fasado pusės.
Bažnyčia, stačiakampio plano, dvibokštė, nufotografuota trijų ketvirčių rakursu. Bažnyčios fasadus dengia medžių lajos. Keturkampio plano bokštus užbaigia smailės. Jų viršūnėse – saulutės pavidalo geležiniai kryžiai.