About the Church
The Church of St John the Baptist at Sudargas stands on the left bank of the Nemunas, by the famous hillforts of Sudargas, in Šakiai district. A chapel is recorded here as early as 1636, and the first wooden church was built in 1748 as a filial church of the Jurbarkas parish; it became an independent parish in 1795.
From 1873 to 1907 the parish priest here was Martynas Sederavičius, a supporter of the book smugglers who distributed Lithuanian prayer books and press. In 1912 the wooden church burned down; in 1924–1929 a masonry church was raised through the efforts of the priests Mykolas Brundza and V. Dumčius and the parishioners, but it was destroyed by the German army in 1944.
The present wooden church was set up in 1945 in the former parish hall, and the building of the house of prayer was completed in 1946, after the priest Augustinas Pečiulis organised its reconstruction. It is of rectangular plan, in the form of a traditional dwelling house, and built of wood.
From 1873 to 1907 the parish priest here was Martynas Sederavičius, a supporter of the book smugglers who distributed Lithuanian prayer books and press. In 1912 the wooden church burned down; in 1924–1929 a masonry church was raised through the efforts of the priests Mykolas Brundza and V. Dumčius and the parishioners, but it was destroyed by the German army in 1944.
The present wooden church was set up in 1945 in the former parish hall, and the building of the house of prayer was completed in 1946, after the priest Augustinas Pečiulis organised its reconstruction. It is of rectangular plan, in the form of a traditional dwelling house, and built of wood.