| Cathedral of the Theotokos, Vilnius | |
|---|---|
Vilniaus Dievo Motinos Ėmimo į Dangų katedra | |
 Western façade of the cathedral | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| Location | Vilnius |
| Country | Lithuania |
| Language(s) | Lithuanian,Russian |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox Church |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Theotokos |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Byzantine |
| Completed | 1346 |
| Specifications | |
| Height | 49 metres (161 ft) |
| Official name | Vilnius Old Town |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iv) |
| Designated | 1994 |
| Reference no. | 541 |
| UNESCO region | Europe |
TheCathedral of the Theotokos in Vilnius (Lithuanian:Vilniaus Dievo Motinos Ėmimo į Dangų katedra;Russian:Пречи́стенский кафедра́льный собо́р) is the episcopal see of theRussian Orthodox Diocese of Lithuania.
Between 1415 and 1795, it was the mother church of theRuthenian Orthodox Church and theRuthenian Uniate Church (following the 1596Union of Brest) within theGrand Duchy of Lithuania and then thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
The cathedral was built during the reign of theGrand Duke of LithuaniaAlgirdas for his Orthodox second wifeUliana of Tver in 1346.[1] It was constructed byKievan architects with the blessing ofSaint Alexius,Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus', in 1348.
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The Cathedral of theTheotokos is one of the most ancient churches ofVilnius, built before thechristianization of Lithuania when theGrand Duchy of Lithuania was the lastpagan state in Europe. It became an important spiritual centre for the growing Christian population of the Duchy. The Lithuanian Grand DuchessHelena of Moscow, wife of the Lithuanian Grand DukeAlexander Jagiellon and daughter of the Muscovian Grand DukeIvan III, was buried at the Cathedral of the Theotokos in Vilnius.[3]
After theconversion of Lithuania toRoman Catholicism, the Orthodox cathedral was protected by princesKonstanty Ostrogski andKonstanty Wasyl Ostrogski, who restored it after the collapse of the dome in 1506. After their deaths, the cathedral was taken over by theUniate Catholic church in 1609 and was rebuilt in a style typical of the region.
In 1748, the cathedral was abandoned after a major fire and the building was used for various other purposes. It was reconstructed in the Baroque style in 1785. The cathedral was once again destroyed by the Russian army during theKościuszko Uprising.
In 1808, a local prelate sold the neglected building to theVilnius University, which had the building thoroughly modernised in 1822 in theNeoclassical style byKarol Podczaszyński. After that, the building hosted ananatomical theatre, library and other university facilities for half a century.
The old cathedral was confiscated and transferred to theRussian Orthodox Church on the initiative of countMikhail Nikolayevich Muravyov and his brother during theRussification campaign. The Russian architectNikolai Chagin was responsible for its reconstruction from 1865 until 1868 in a style imitating medievalGeorgian architecture.
St.Tikhon (Belavin), then Archbishop of Vilnius, presided over the cathedral and Orthodox Christians of Lithuania between 1913 and the occupation of Lithuania by the German troops in 1915. Most of the Russian Orthodox clergy left with the retreating Russian army.
The cathedral of the Theotokos was damaged during theSecond World War but was restored in 1948, although its renovations were not completed until 1957. Today the cathedral belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church and was once again renovated in 1998. Its services are attended mostly by ethnicRussian andBelarusian residents of Vilnius.
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