About the Church
The church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kalesninkai is a true gem of architecture and history, located in the village of Kalesninkai, near Eišiškės. The church is striking not only for its appearance but also has deep historical roots and a distinctive building style that combines Romanesque Revival and Gothic Revival traditions.
The history of this church begins as far back as the 17th century, when in 1643 Konstantinas Kuncevičius assigned the small manor of Kalesninkai to the Carmelites. Soon after, in 1676, a chapel was built, and a few decades later, in 1703, a church was erected as well. Unfortunately, at the start of the 18th century this first church was destroyed, but a newly built place of worship was consecrated in 1714.
At the start of the 19th century a parish school operated in Kalesninkai, but in 1832 the tsarist authorities closed the Carmelite monastery and abolished the parish. Left without its church, the community moved it to Rodūnia in 1838. At the end of the 19th century the inhabitants again began requesting permission to build a new church, which they received in 1902. From then on began a period of rebuilding the new church. In 1906 the parish was officially restored, and the first parish priest was Mykolas Rudis, who took great care over the building of both the school and the church.
On 11 July 1905 the Bishop of Vilnius, E. Ropp, blessed the cornerstone of the new church, which was completed and consecrated in 1922. Since then services have been held here continuously in Polish and Lithuanian.
The church's design was prepared by the architect Michailas Dobovikas, and the building work was carried out by Antonis Adamas Filipovičius-Dubovikas. It is a cross-shaped, two-tower basilica with a semicircular apse. Inside the church there are three naves, separated by piers, and the vaults give the interior a particular grandeur.
In the mid-20th century the parish priest Bronius Laurinavičius saw to the re-roofing of the church, and in 2022 the community solemnly marked the church's 100th anniversary.
This is a place where history and the present merge into one, inviting visitors to discover not only the beauty of the architecture but also the profound spiritual meaning this building has carried through the centuries.
The history of this church begins as far back as the 17th century, when in 1643 Konstantinas Kuncevičius assigned the small manor of Kalesninkai to the Carmelites. Soon after, in 1676, a chapel was built, and a few decades later, in 1703, a church was erected as well. Unfortunately, at the start of the 18th century this first church was destroyed, but a newly built place of worship was consecrated in 1714.
At the start of the 19th century a parish school operated in Kalesninkai, but in 1832 the tsarist authorities closed the Carmelite monastery and abolished the parish. Left without its church, the community moved it to Rodūnia in 1838. At the end of the 19th century the inhabitants again began requesting permission to build a new church, which they received in 1902. From then on began a period of rebuilding the new church. In 1906 the parish was officially restored, and the first parish priest was Mykolas Rudis, who took great care over the building of both the school and the church.
On 11 July 1905 the Bishop of Vilnius, E. Ropp, blessed the cornerstone of the new church, which was completed and consecrated in 1922. Since then services have been held here continuously in Polish and Lithuanian.
The church's design was prepared by the architect Michailas Dobovikas, and the building work was carried out by Antonis Adamas Filipovičius-Dubovikas. It is a cross-shaped, two-tower basilica with a semicircular apse. Inside the church there are three naves, separated by piers, and the vaults give the interior a particular grandeur.
In the mid-20th century the parish priest Bronius Laurinavičius saw to the re-roofing of the church, and in 2022 the community solemnly marked the church's 100th anniversary.
This is a place where history and the present merge into one, inviting visitors to discover not only the beauty of the architecture but also the profound spiritual meaning this building has carried through the centuries.