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Šakiai Deanery

Lekėčių Šv. Kazimiero bažnyčia

Built 1843 Age 183 yr Coord. 54.9850, 23.5014
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About the Church

The church of St Casimir at Lekėčiai stands in the small town of Lekėčiai, about 8 km south-west of Vilkija, in the Šakiai Deanery. This wooden church stands out for its vernacular architectural features – the rectangular building is adorned with a small turret, next to which nestles a lower, narrower apse.

The first wooden chapel at Lekėčiai was raised in 1843. A significant turning point came in 1906, when a parish was established here and the first parish priest became Justinas Staugaitis – later a prominent public figure and Bishop of Telšiai. Through his efforts the chapel was extended and converted into a church. In the early 20th century the town was thriving: in 1907 a branch of the “Žiburys” society opened here, and the Lithuanian Catholic Temperance Society was also active.

In 1933 parish premises with a hall were built, and after the Second World War the church was renovated. Today the church at Lekėčiai remains a living centre of the town's spiritual and cultural life, recalling the legacy of Bishop Staugaitis in this corner of Suvalkija.

Gallery and Resources

Archive captions are shown in Lithuanian.