TheCatholic Church in Lithuania (Lithuanian:Katalikų Bažnyčia Lietuvoje) is part of the worldwideCatholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of thePope inRome.[2]Lithuania is the world's northernmostLatin Catholic-majority country.[3]Pope Pius XII gave Lithuania the title of "northernmost outpost of Catholicism in Europe" in 1939.[4][5] TheVilnius Cathedral is the most important Catholic Church in Lithuania, which was previously used for theinauguration ceremonies of Lithuanian monarchs withGediminas' Cap, while in modern times it is a venue formasses dedicated to the electedPresidents of Lithuania after their inauguration ceremonies and giving ofoaths to the Nation in theSeimas Palace.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
Among theBaltic states, Lithuania is the country with the highest percentage of Catholic population.[12] Almost three-quarters (74.19%) ofLithuania's population self-identified as Catholics in the 2021 census.[13] The country is divided into eight dioceses including two archdioceses and amilitary ordinariate.[14]
St. Casimir (Kazimieras, 1458–1484) is the only canonizedsaint of Lithuania.[15][16] He is the patron of the country and Lithuanian youth.[15][17][16] Polish saintRaphael Kalinowski was born in Lithuania's capital Vilnius, then controlled by theRussian Empire. ArchbishopJurgis Matulaitis-Matulevičius (1871–1927) wasbeatified in 1987, archbishopTeofilius Matulionis (1873–1962) was beatified in 2017.[18][19]
SaintBruno of Querfurt, a missionary bishop, was martyred in 1009 for proclaiming the Christian faith.[20] While some historians assert that he was killed by the Lithuanians,Zigmas Zinkevičius disputes this, arguing that Bruno met his death in territories inhabited by theYotvingians.[21] It was in connection with this event that thename of Lithuania was first recorded.[22]
The spread of Catholicism in Lithuania began in the 13th century.[23] During the reign ofMindaugas (r. 1230s–1263), theDominican Order and theFranciscans started establishing their presence in the region.[24][25] In 1231,Saint Hyacinth of Poland, a Dominican, arrived in Lithuania.[24] In 1251, a delegation sent by Mindaugas informedPope Innocent IV of the ruler’s desire to be baptized as aRoman Catholic.[26][27] The Pope warmly welcomed Lithuania’s conversion, issuing no fewer than sixpapal bulls on the matter.[27] In the first half of 1251, Mindaugas, along with many of his subjects—including a portion of theLithuanian nobility—embraced Roman Catholicism through baptism.[27][28]
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The baptism of the ruler marked Lithuania’s emergence as an officially Catholic nation, gaining international recognition as early as the 1250s.[26][27] In response, Pope Innocent IV instructed Heidenreich, theBishop of Chełmno, to crown Mindaugas with a royal crown in the Pope’s name.[27] On July 6, 1253, Mindaugas was crownedKing of Lithuania, and his wife,Morta, became Queen.[27] On August 21 of the same year, the Pope appointedChristian of Oliva as the first Bishop of Lithuania, thereby establishing the Diocese of Lithuania.[29] According to the Lithuanian bishopJonas Boruta,
"A separate diocese directly subordinate to the Pope is already a considerable step for the creation of an ecclesiastical province, and in the Lithuania of Mindaugas' time (if not for unfortunate political events - the murder of Mindaugas, etc.) there were all the conditions for the establishment of an ecclesiastical province as well.."[30]
Following Mindaugas’ assassination, Treniota seized power in 1263 and ruled Lithuania for approximately a year, during which he initiated a persecution of Christians.[23] After Treniota’s death in 1264, Lithuania came under the rule of Mindaugas’ son,Vaišvilkas (r. 1264–1267), and subsequently Mindaugas’ son-in-law,Shvarn (r. 1267–1269), both of whom adhered to the Orthodox faith.[23] Shvarn’s reign ended amid internal power struggles, and the succeeding Grand Dukes of Lithuania reverted to pagan beliefs.[23]
In the 14th century, Lithuania’s pagan rulers, likeVytenis andGediminas, constructed Catholic churches and welcomed Catholic priests and monks.[31] For instance, Vytenis (r. 1295–1316) built a Catholic church in Naugardukas and requested two Franciscan monks to manage it. However, knights from the Teutonic Order later destroyed the church.[23]
Gediminas (r. 1316–1341), Vytenis’ pagan successor, allied with theArchbishop of Riga against the Teutonic Order.[23] This partnership began in 1298, allowing Riga’s Franciscans and Dominicans to work freely in Lithuania.[23] Later, ArchbishopFriedrich von Pernstein successfully set up Franciscan and Dominican monasteries in Lithuanian cities.[23] These monks were active on Gediminas’ lands.[23] In Vilnius, two churches were built—one for the Dominicans and one for the Franciscans.[23] Encouraged by these monks and driven by political aims, Gediminas wrote to the Pope in 1322, promising to convert to Roman Catholicism.[23] In 1323, he sent letters to monastery leaders in Western Europe, inviting priests, monks, and lay Christians to Lithuania with a promise of religious freedom.[23]
In June 1324, the Pope promised to send legates to Gediminas, and they reached Riga by autumn.[23] Gediminas refused baptism and acted as if he never promised to convert.[23] He blamed the confusion on a Franciscan who wrote the letter to the Pope.[23] Despite this, the monks kept working to spread Catholicism in Lithuania.[23]
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Gediminas’ sons,Algirdas andKęstutis, ruled Lithuania together from 1345 to 1377 and stayed pagan their whole lives.[23] Algirdas, who married DuchessMaria of Vitebsk in 1318, inherited thePrincipality of Vitebsk in 1320, allowed his children to be baptized Orthodox, and set up the Orthodox Metropolis of Lithuania in the Rus’ lands under his control.[23] Kęstutis was encouraged by the Pope and neighboring rulers likeCasimir III of Poland, to become baptised.[23]
In 1351,Louis I (later king of Poland) pushed Kęstutis to get baptized.[23] Kęstutis agreed, but only if Louis returned lands taken by the Teutonic Order and guaranteed his coronation. They swore oaths to the deal, but Kęstutis never went through with baptism.[23]
In 1358, EmperorCharles IV urged both Algirdas and Kęstutis to become Catholic.[23] They promised to convert if the Teutonic Order’s conquered lands were returned and the Order was sent east to fight the Golden Horde Tatars.[23] The deal fell apart, so they stayed pagan.[23]
Though Kęstutis remained pagan, his daughterDanutė was baptized in the 1370s when she marriedJanusz I, Duke of Masovia.[23] PopeGregory XI tried to baptize Lithuania in 1373, but that effort failed too.[23]
Grand DukesJogaila (Algirdas’ son) andVytautas the Great (Kęstutis’ son) worked to bring Christianity to Lithuania.[23] On October 31, 1382, Jogaila signed theTreaty of Dubysa with the Teutonic Order, promising to give them Samogitia up to theDubysa River in exchange for their help against Kęstutis and Vytautas. He also pledged to be baptized with his followers within four years.[23] When Jogaila didn’t follow through in 1383, the Order backed Vytautas instead.[23] Vytautas was baptized as a Roman Catholic named Wigand on October 21, 1383, inTepliava.[23] He promised the Order Samogitia up to theNevėžis River and received control of three castles near theNemunas River.[23]
In 1385, Jogaila agreed to theAct of Krėva, marrying QueenJadwiga of Poland (daughter of Louis I of Hungary) and becoming King of Poland. He accepted Roman Catholicism and was baptized as Ladislaus on February 15, 1386, in Kraków, alongside his brothers and cousin Vytautas, who took the name Alexander.[23] In 1387, Jogaila and BishopAndrzej Jastrzębiec arrived in Vilnius with Lithuanian-speaking Franciscans to baptize Lithuania, mainlyAukštaitija.[23][32] On February 17, 1387, Jogaila issued a privilege to supportVilnius Cathedral. TheVilnius diocese was established byPope Urban VI on March 12, 1388.[33] Jogaila helped build churches in places likeMaišiagala,Medininkai, and Obolcai, setting up achapter with aprovost,dean, and 10canons.[23] Most of theclergy were Poles.[23] The first Franciscan monasteries were also founded during this time.[25]
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A delegation ofSamogitian nobles attended theCouncil of Constance in 1417 to demonstrate that Jogaila and Vytautas were overseeing the baptism of the Samogitians and to demand that Samogitia remain under Vytautas' governance.[23] Additionally, they requested that the future Samogitian diocese be established under the supervision of the bishops of Vilnius andLviv.[23] When the Teutonic Order prevented a delegation appointed by the Council from traveling to baptize Samogitia, the bishops of Vilnius and Lviv carried out the task.[23] The baptism of Samogitia took place in 1417, and the Samogitian diocese, based in Medininkai, was founded in 1421 underPope Martin V.[23][34] A chapter of six canons was also established, withMatthias of Trakai consecrated as the first bishop of Samogitia. In 1422, Matthias became the bishop of Vilnius, and later, in 1453, thebishop of Lutsk, ensuring that ordained priests spokeLithuanian.[23][35] Until 1795, both the Vilnius and Samogitian dioceses were part of theecclesiastical province of Gniezno.[31]
With the support of rulers such as Vytautas and Jogaila, the number of churches in Lithuania grew rapidly.[23] By the late 14th century, the Vilnius diocese had 17 churches, five of which were in Vilnius itself.[23] Polish historian Jerzy Ochmański notes that by 1392, 10 parishes had been established, increasing to 27 across the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by Vytautas' death in 1430.[33] By the end of the 15th century, Lithuania had 109 churches—91 in the Vilnius diocese and 18 or 19 in the Samogitian diocese, seven of which were founded by Vytautas.[23][36] Between then and the mid-16th century, 103 churches were built in the Vilnius diocese and 38 in the Samogitian diocese.[23] Around 1500, the Vilnius diocese alone boasted 130 churches.[37]
As dioceses were being established, churches were primarily constructed and endowed by rulers, and later by magnates and nobles.[23] Rulers typically granted land to churches, generating income to sustain parish clergy and maintain buildings, while noble endowments provided funds and church supplies.[23] Noble founders and their heirs often retained thejus patronatus, ensuring the parish was staffed with a clergyman.[23]
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In 1501,Erazm Ciołek, aprovost of Vilnius Cathedral, informed the Pope that Lithuanians preserved and respected their native language (Linguam propriam observant), but also usedRuthenian for practical reasons, as nearly half of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania spoke it.[39] In the 16th century, as the use of Polish increased, the Lithuanian language reached status ofliterary language.[39] In 1599,Mikalojus Daukša published hisPostil and, in its prefaces, noted the improved status of Lithuanian, crediting BishopMerkelis Giedraitis for his efforts.[39]
Between 1530 and 1540, Reformation and humanist ideas spread into the Grand Duchy, reaching its peak around 1570.[23][31] Lutheranism dominated at first, followed by Calvinism.[20] This era saw a rise in education and book publishing, including the first Lithuanian printed book – Catechism by Lutheran pastor Martynas Mažvydas in 1547.[20] During the Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church intensified efforts against Arianism and other Protestant movements.[23][31] Protestant churches and schools were shut down, and much of the Lithuanian nobility, most notably the Nyasvizh branch of theRadziwiłł family, includingMikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł the Orphan and CardinalJerzy Radziwiłł, converted to Catholicism.[23][31]
In 1569, at the initiative of BishopWalerian Protasewicz, the Jesuits were invited toVilnius. As they learned thevernacular languages, they began preaching to the local population in their nativeLithuanian language, reinforcing the Counter-Reformation effort.[20]Spaniards,Italians,Germans, andPoles began learning Lithuanian in the 1570s, and the first foreigners who learned the language were the Spaniards, who learned it to preach and listen toconfessions in Lithuanian.[40] Sometimes they went to the surrounding villages and sometimes organized sermons in Vilnius' streets.[40] Records of Lithuanian Jesuit preachers in Vilnius – with only minor gaps – have survived up to the 18th century.[40] In 1582, CardinalJerzy Radziwiłł founded theVilnius Theological Seminary.[20] Bishop Merkelis Giedraitis (1576–1609), a leading advocate of Catholicism in Samogitia, supported the seminary by sending his clerics there. He also built twelve churches and established new parishes in the region.[20]
The Third Statute of Lithuania, published in 1588, guaranteed equal rights for Catholics, Protestants, and Eastern Orthodox within the Grand Duchy.[23][31] TheUnion of Brest in 1596 marked the ecclesiastical union of the Orthodox Church in thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth with Rome.[20][31]
The construction of churches funded by noble patrons and the founding of new monasteries intensified significantly in the 17th and 18th centuries. Schools, hospitals, and shelters were often established alongside them.[20][23][31] Most Dominican monasteries in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were founded in the 17th century.[24] Until the fall of the Lithuanian state in 1795, monasteries gained substantial influence, as monks became active in all areas of religious and cultural life.[23]
The officially Catholic Grand Duchy of Lithuania ceased to exist after theThird Partition of Poland–Lithuania in 1795, carried out by the ProtestantKingdom of Prussia and the Eastern OrthodoxRussian Empire.[20] Most Lithuanian territories fell under Russian control.[23] EmpressCatherine II of Russia established theArchdiocese of Mogilev in 1782 for her new Catholic subjects.[31]
During theKościuszko Uprising of 1794, during which theVilnius uprising also took place, Catholic sermons supporting the insurrection were preached in various languages, including Lithuanian (e.g., byMichał Franciszek Karpowicz), both in churches (e.g., theChurch of St. Johns in Vilnius) and among military units.[41][42][43][44]
After the uprisings of1831 and1863, the tsar's repression against the Catholic Church intensified, and monasteries were closed en masse.[20][31][23] These monasteries were previously very involved in religious and cultural activities throughout the former Lithuanian lands and were responsible for many schools, libraries, and charity institutions.[23] During the years of Russian rule, a struggle began within the Catholic Church for the rights of faith and Lithuanian national identity, which were persistently defended by Bishop of SamogitiaMotiejus Valančius.[23] Valančius spread faith,sobriety, and literacy among Lithuanians.[20]
Lithuania regained its independence in 1918 and successfully defended it in theLithuanian Wars of Independence. TheVatican recognized Lithuania's independencede jure in 1922.[20] Aconcordat was signed in 1927 between Lithuania and the Holy See.[20][31]
After theSoviet Union occupied Lithuania in the summer of 1940, the Church began to be persecuted.[20][31] TheChurch and state were separated.[31] The concordat and diplomatic relations with the Vatican were terminated.[20][31] Church property was confiscated,religious education in schools was stopped, publishing of Catholic books and newspapers was banned.[20][31] Dominican monasteries were also closed down.[24] On 11–12 July 1940, many prominent Lithuanian public figures were arrested, including Catholic priests.[31] During the Sovietmass deportation from Lithuania on 14–15 June 1941, 9 Lithuanian Catholic priests were deported.[31] In the beginning ofOperation Barbarossa in late June 1941, a total of 15 Lithuanian Catholic priests were murdered.[31] On June 22, priests Justinas Dabrila, Vaclovas Balsius and Jonas Petrikas in Būdavonė forest (Bartninkai district) were martyred byNKVD soldiers.[31]
During thesecond Soviet occupation, which began once theRed Army invaded Lithuanian lands in 1944, the persecution of the Church intensified.[20][31] This was because of the regime'sstate atheism, as well as the Catholic Church's involvement in theLithuanian anti-communist guerrilla war against Soviet occupation.[31] Mass arrests and deportations of Lithuanian citizens, priests and believers, were carried out.[20][31] Churches were closed down.[31] The restrictions on the church's activities intensified, especially restricting the training of new clergy.[31] In 1946, the bishop of TelšiaiVincentas Borisevičius was arrested and sentenced to death.[31] Later, the bishopsTeofilius Matulionis, Pranciškus Ramanauskas, Vilnius archbishopMečislovas Reinys were arrested and imprisoned.[31] The Soviet state seized the Vilnius Cathedral from the Catholic Church in 1950.[31]
In 1965, during an audience ofRome's Lithuanians withPope Paul VI he stated that "We are doing everything we can to ensure that the dear Lithuanian nation maintain their faith and that its connection with the See of Saint Peter becomes ever stronger."[45] Pope Paul VI supported the project to establish the Lithuanian Chapel of Our Lady Mater Misericordiae in theSt. Peter's Basilica inVatican City and in 1978 he was the first Pope to congratulate Lithuanians in Lithuanian language onEaster.[45]
In the 1970s, the Catholic Church's underground activity intensified, as underground Catholic newspapers and magazines began to be published, and priests were trained underground.[31] In 1972, the underground publicationChronicle of the Catholic Church of Lithuania began to be published.[31] The number of initiatives to defend religious freedom increased.[20]
Also during the Communist time,Apostolic Visitors were designated by theHoly See for the Lithuanian Roman Catholics in diaspora.[citation needed]
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The nationally renowned anti-Communist resistanceshrine, theHill of Crosses, upon which thousands ofLatin Ritecrosses of all sizes have been placed, is located near the city ofŠiauliai. Erecting Latin crosses on the hill was forbidden by the CzaristRussian Orthodox authorities in the 19th century. Later, in the 20th century, theSoviet authorities also forbade such explicit religious symbols. The crosses were removed in 1961 with tractors and bulldozers, but despite Soviet prohibitions, Catholics continued to put small crucifixes and larger crosses on theHill of Crosses.Pope John Paul II visited the hill during his visit to Lithuania, primarily because it was a sign of anti-Communist Catholic resistance, as well as a Catholic religious site. Lithuania was the only majority-Catholic Soviet republic.[46][47]
Lithuaniaregained its independence once more in 1990, during thedissolution of the Soviet Union. The Catholic Church is an influential factor in the country, and some priests actively led the resistance against the Communist regime and, after independence was regained, in support of traditionalism, especially in ethical questions.[citation needed]
In 1993,Pope John Paul II visited Lithuania and after his prayer in theChapel of Saint Casimir in theVilnius Cathedral said that "the heart of the Lithuanian nation beats in this sanctuary".[48]
The Catholic Church in Lithuania has after independence continued to campaign againstliberal andsocialist measures, especially in ethical questions.[citation needed]
The treaties of the Holy See and the Republic of Lithuania entered into force in 2000.[20] Since then, the relations between the Catholic Church and the Lithuanian state have been regulated by three special treaties of the Republic of Lithuania and the Holy See, instead of the concordat.[31]
Christian culture was spread in Lithuania through schools.[23] Until theThird Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795, education was mainly taken care of by the Catholic Church.[23] Initially, the first schools operated in Vilnius near the Franciscan monastery and cathedral.[23] Vytautas settled theBenedictines inSenieji Trakai in 1409, where it was sought that they would open a school as well.[23] A parish school for the townspeople was established, near theChurch of St. Johns, Vilnius, in 1413.[23] More schools appeared in the 15th and 16th centuries.[20] In 1534, the Synod of Vilnius ordered priests to establish schools.[23] The church leadership ordered in 1607 the establishment of primary schools in all parishes, while the higher schools were maintained by Jesuits, Piarists and other monks.[23] In the 18th century, there were about 300 parochial schools in Lithuania, with 5,000 students.[23]
The Jesuits establish a college in Vilnius in 1570.[31] TheVilnius Academy was founded in 1579 by the Jesuits through the reorganization of the college they established nine years prior.[31] The university trained Lithuanian clergymen and published Lithuanian-language religious literature.[31] Jesuits also founded many colleges in other cities.[20] The Jesuits head the Vilnius University until 1773.[31] After thesuppression of the Society of Jesus in 1773, theCommission of National Education took over the management of Vilnius University and higher schools.[23]
| Holy See | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Archdiocese of Vilnius | Archdiocese of Kaunas | Military Ordinariate of Lithuania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diocese of Kaišiadorys | Diocese of Panevėžys | Diocese of Šiauliai | Diocese of Telšiai | Diocese of Vilkaviškis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The first churches appeared inLithuania before the introduction ofChristianity – they were built by merchants and craftsmen from other countries who lived here. After the baptism in 1387 the number of churches in Lithuania began to grow notably. In the middle of the twentieth century there were as many as 885 Catholic churches and chapels in Lithuania.[citation needed]
The first church in Lithuania, supposedly, was built by the Grand DukeMindaugas in the thirteenth century. It wasVilnius Cathedral, which in its long history has been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. The oldest surviving stone church isSt. Nicholas, built in the 14th – 15th centuries. It stands inVilnius and visitors admire its Gothic and Romanesque features.St. Anne's Church is a masterpiece of lateGothic. The Chapel of the Gate of Dawn storing the icon of the Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy in Vilnius has many features of lateRenaissance and is one of the holy places in Lithuania most visited by pilgrims. Impressive architectural work of baroque is St.Peter and Paul Church in Vilnius. The oldest wooden church of Lithuania is in Palušė, Ignalina district.[49]
Šioje šventovėje, kur plaka lietuvių tautos širdis, čia rūpestingai saugomi žemiškieji šventojo Kazimiero palaikai
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