About the Church
The Church of Sts Peter and Paul, Apostles, in Naujasis Strūnaitis is an impressive Catholic shrine standing in the village of Naujasis Strūnaitis, near Švenčionys. The church is renowned not only for its architecture but also for its rich history, worth knowing for every lover of Lithuanian culture.
The church was built in 1848 of natural fieldstone and brick, which gives it a solid structure and an authentic Classicist style. The building's design was possibly created by Karolis Gregotovičius, a professor and architect at Vilnius University. The church is towerless, with a rectangular plan, and on the front façade a gable rises above the roofline, giving the church an elegant and orderly appearance.
At first, in 1781, Jonas and Konstancija Hrebnickiai built a wooden church, where a parish with nearly a thousand parishioners was established. However, it burned down in 1828, and a temporary church was built in its place. It was only later, in 1847–1849, that Konstantinas Maslovskis (or Mostovskis), chairman of the Švenčionys district court, oversaw the construction of the present masonry church.
The priest Juozapas Ambraziejus-Ambrozevičius, transferred to Naujasis Strūnaitis in 1893, began introducing the Lithuanian language into services. Later priests continued the work he had begun, although disagreements over the use of language in the church were not lacking either. Priests of the time, such as Aleksandras Racevičius and Jurgis Glodenis, held differing views on the importance of the Lithuanian language.
The church's interior is especially beautiful: the high altar is of the order system, with a four-column retable and a Baroque-style convex superstructure. The altar is adorned with sculptures of the Apostles, and beside the central painting of Christ you will find further works of art.
A two-storey chapel–bell tower stands in the churchyard, its style reminiscent of the Byzantine. It stands out for its narrow arched windows and elaborate roof. The bell tower underwent a major renovation in 1957–1958, under the direction of the priest Vaclovas Aliulis.
In the church's crypt rest the founder Konstantinas Maslauskas and his wife. The churchyard beside the church, with its plastered masonry wall, further emphasises the sacredness and historical significance of the site.
The Church of Sts Peter and Paul, Apostles, in Naujasis Strūnaitis is not only a place of religious practice but also a piece of cultural heritage, remembered and honoured by both local residents and visitors from other corners of Lithuania.
The church was built in 1848 of natural fieldstone and brick, which gives it a solid structure and an authentic Classicist style. The building's design was possibly created by Karolis Gregotovičius, a professor and architect at Vilnius University. The church is towerless, with a rectangular plan, and on the front façade a gable rises above the roofline, giving the church an elegant and orderly appearance.
At first, in 1781, Jonas and Konstancija Hrebnickiai built a wooden church, where a parish with nearly a thousand parishioners was established. However, it burned down in 1828, and a temporary church was built in its place. It was only later, in 1847–1849, that Konstantinas Maslovskis (or Mostovskis), chairman of the Švenčionys district court, oversaw the construction of the present masonry church.
The priest Juozapas Ambraziejus-Ambrozevičius, transferred to Naujasis Strūnaitis in 1893, began introducing the Lithuanian language into services. Later priests continued the work he had begun, although disagreements over the use of language in the church were not lacking either. Priests of the time, such as Aleksandras Racevičius and Jurgis Glodenis, held differing views on the importance of the Lithuanian language.
The church's interior is especially beautiful: the high altar is of the order system, with a four-column retable and a Baroque-style convex superstructure. The altar is adorned with sculptures of the Apostles, and beside the central painting of Christ you will find further works of art.
A two-storey chapel–bell tower stands in the churchyard, its style reminiscent of the Byzantine. It stands out for its narrow arched windows and elaborate roof. The bell tower underwent a major renovation in 1957–1958, under the direction of the priest Vaclovas Aliulis.
In the church's crypt rest the founder Konstantinas Maslauskas and his wife. The churchyard beside the church, with its plastered masonry wall, further emphasises the sacredness and historical significance of the site.
The Church of Sts Peter and Paul, Apostles, in Naujasis Strūnaitis is not only a place of religious practice but also a piece of cultural heritage, remembered and honoured by both local residents and visitors from other corners of Lithuania.
Gallery and Resources
Archive captions are shown in Lithuanian.
1848 metais bažnyčią pastatė Konstantinas Mostovskis.