Centers of Faith

Below is a selection of religious sites we visited to conduct research for our project. 

Saint Anne's Catholic Church (left) is the oldest church in Vilnius, being built in the 13th century. While the interior of the church has undergone repairs, the facade remains the same as it was 500 years ago. During the time of the Russian Empire, the church was used as barracks for Russian soldiers. During the Napoleonic Wars, when Napoleon was in Vilnius, he said that the church was so beauitiful he wanted to take it back to Paris.  

The Church of Saint Constantine (center left) is one of the best examples of Orthodox architecture and a premier example of the Orthodox faith in Vilnius. Built in 1913, this church has  remained in use through both world wars and the soviet occupation. Inside, the church is lined with icons of Jesus Christ and the saints, with the Iconistasis  the same as it was when the church was built. From the bell tower, you are able to see both the Old City and the New City. 

Located in Nida, Lithuania this statue (center right) is of Egle, queen of the grass snakes, a very well known folk tale originating from pagan beliefs. The story begins with Egle, a young woman, being tricked by a grass snake into becoming his wife. After they are married they move to a palace under the Baltic Sea made of amber. Eventually, Egle's children learned of their mother's story, and killed the snake king out of anger. To punish them, she turned them all into trees. Attached are links for further reading into different versions of the story. 

Eglė, Queen of Serpents (lithaz.org) 

The Choral Synagogue of Vilnius, built in 1903, is the largest Jewish synagogue in the city. Vilnius used to have a significant population of Jewish people, however, today the population is less than 1%. This is the only synagogue that survived WWII without any significant damage. Through the adversity however, the Jewish people of both Lithuania and Vilnius have maintained their traditions and faith.