About the Church
The Church of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn in Kena is one of those wonderful, little-known churches of Lithuania that is worth visiting both for its history and its architecture. Located in the village of Kena, only 23 km east of Vilnius, this wooden church stands right on the bank of the river Kena.
This church's history goes back to the 17th century, when Stravinskienė, wife of the castellan of Vitebsk, granted Kena to the Evangelical Reformed Church of Vilnius. However, Leonas Sapiega soon seized this territory, and in 1690 Kena was transferred to the Bernardine monastery of Vilnius. Already at that time there stood in the village a chapel, which belonged to the parish of Rukainiai and was mentioned as late as 1744. Unfortunately, in 1866 the Russian authorities closed the chapel.
In 1920 the present wooden church was built, whose architecture and interior decoration still delight the eye today. The church itself has a rectangular plan, a single nave, a small tower, a porch and a side sacristy. Its roof is hipped, with a three-sided apse. Inside can be seen three altars, and the high altar is graced by a copy of the painting of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, which in 2003 was adorned with two gilded crowns.
One of the more interesting elements of the church is the churchyard fence, built of plastered masonry. Beyond the gate stands a small well, beside which is a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In addition, along the path to the church can be seen a boulder monument marking time, with an image of Mary, which lends a special sacred atmosphere to this small village.
Despite the fact that services are held only in Polish, this church always welcomes visitors wishing to touch its history and beauty. It is a place where past and present meet, and where everyone can feel peace and spirituality.
This church's history goes back to the 17th century, when Stravinskienė, wife of the castellan of Vitebsk, granted Kena to the Evangelical Reformed Church of Vilnius. However, Leonas Sapiega soon seized this territory, and in 1690 Kena was transferred to the Bernardine monastery of Vilnius. Already at that time there stood in the village a chapel, which belonged to the parish of Rukainiai and was mentioned as late as 1744. Unfortunately, in 1866 the Russian authorities closed the chapel.
In 1920 the present wooden church was built, whose architecture and interior decoration still delight the eye today. The church itself has a rectangular plan, a single nave, a small tower, a porch and a side sacristy. Its roof is hipped, with a three-sided apse. Inside can be seen three altars, and the high altar is graced by a copy of the painting of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, which in 2003 was adorned with two gilded crowns.
One of the more interesting elements of the church is the churchyard fence, built of plastered masonry. Beyond the gate stands a small well, beside which is a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In addition, along the path to the church can be seen a boulder monument marking time, with an image of Mary, which lends a special sacred atmosphere to this small village.
Despite the fact that services are held only in Polish, this church always welcomes visitors wishing to touch its history and beauty. It is a place where past and present meet, and where everyone can feel peace and spirituality.