About the Church
The Church of St John the Baptist at Mielagėnai, standing near the charming small town of Mielagėnai, is not only a centre of religious life but also a monument of architecture and history. This church is a cultural heritage site belonging to the Diocese of Vilnius, which attracts visitors with its historical and artistic riches.
The whole story began in 1760, when a Courland nobleman, Grafas, built the first wooden chapel or church. Later, carrying out the will of Justina Kublickienė's late husband, a plot of land was assigned in 1779 for a new masonry church, an organist and a school. Thus, from 1779 to 1790 the present masonry church was built, and it was blessed by the local parish priest Vaitiekus Odolinskis.
Over its long history the church has seen a good many changes and restorations. For example, it was restored in 1838, and in 1858 the Kublickis family built a masonry chapel in the cemetery. In the 19th century a parish school operated here, educating the local children. At that time the bishops of Vilnius often sent Polish priests to Mielagėnai, but in 1903 the newly arrived parish priest Placidas Šarkauskas began teaching parishioners to pray and sing in Lithuanian, and also restored the neglected church.
At the start of the 20th century, in 1913, activists of the church community founded a branch of the Rytas society, which planned to set up a reading-room library, though the authorities did not allow them to carry out this idea. The parish priest Karolis Gumbaragis, who began work in 1925, founded a branch of the Society of St Casimir and distributed the Lithuanian press, despite the persecution of the Polish administration. After the Second World War he was exiled to Siberia.
Architecturally, the church stands out for its Classicist style. It has a rectangular plan, is without a tower, and has a three-nave interior. The churchyard fence is of stone masonry, giving the church grounds an air of authenticity and solidity.
Inside the church there are as many as 10 works of art, some of them painted by the noted contemporary painter Vincas Smakauskas. This further enriches the value of this church and makes it a unique cultural heritage site.
The Church of St John the Baptist at Mielagėnai is a living witness to history, linking several eras and cultures, and its distinctive architectural beauty and historical details draw one back into the past to feel the spirit of that time.
The whole story began in 1760, when a Courland nobleman, Grafas, built the first wooden chapel or church. Later, carrying out the will of Justina Kublickienė's late husband, a plot of land was assigned in 1779 for a new masonry church, an organist and a school. Thus, from 1779 to 1790 the present masonry church was built, and it was blessed by the local parish priest Vaitiekus Odolinskis.
Over its long history the church has seen a good many changes and restorations. For example, it was restored in 1838, and in 1858 the Kublickis family built a masonry chapel in the cemetery. In the 19th century a parish school operated here, educating the local children. At that time the bishops of Vilnius often sent Polish priests to Mielagėnai, but in 1903 the newly arrived parish priest Placidas Šarkauskas began teaching parishioners to pray and sing in Lithuanian, and also restored the neglected church.
At the start of the 20th century, in 1913, activists of the church community founded a branch of the Rytas society, which planned to set up a reading-room library, though the authorities did not allow them to carry out this idea. The parish priest Karolis Gumbaragis, who began work in 1925, founded a branch of the Society of St Casimir and distributed the Lithuanian press, despite the persecution of the Polish administration. After the Second World War he was exiled to Siberia.
Architecturally, the church stands out for its Classicist style. It has a rectangular plan, is without a tower, and has a three-nave interior. The churchyard fence is of stone masonry, giving the church grounds an air of authenticity and solidity.
Inside the church there are as many as 10 works of art, some of them painted by the noted contemporary painter Vincas Smakauskas. This further enriches the value of this church and makes it a unique cultural heritage site.
The Church of St John the Baptist at Mielagėnai is a living witness to history, linking several eras and cultures, and its distinctive architectural beauty and historical details draw one back into the past to feel the spirit of that time.
Gallery and Resources
Archive captions are shown in Lithuanian.
Bažnyčios (db. Iganalinos raj.) išorės bendras vaizdas iš toliau.
Mielagėnų (Ignalinos r.) Šv. Jono Krikštytojo bažnyčia – klasicistinio stiliaus pastatas. Statyta 1772 m. ir 1839 m. atnaujinta. Vaizde – bažnyčios fasade, nišoje stovinti Šv. Povilo skulptūra.
Aprašė Aldona Rudzevičienė