Kaunas Cathedral Basilica
Encyclopedia
Kaunas Cathedral Basilica is a Roman Catholic cathedral
basilica
in Kaunas
, Lithuania
.
The exact date when the first Gothic style
church dedicated to apostles Saint Peter
and Saint Paul, was built is unknown, but it was first mentioned in written sources in 1413. The first parochial school
in Kaunas at the St. Peter and St. Paul church was mentioned in 1473. The construction works were concluded only in 1624
. The church greatly suffered from wars in 1655
and was rebuilt in 1671 and gained some Renaissance
features. Only one of the towers was rebuilt after the fire of the roof in 1732. As a part of renovation, the internal decorations were funded by the King Stanisław August Poniatowski in 1771. The main altar, a lectern and a choir were installed by Tomasz Podhajski in 1775. The present day shape of the building is from 1800 renovation.
Тhе bishop of Samogitia, historian and one of the best known Lithuanian writers of the 19th century Motiejus Valančius
was interred in a crypt
of the church in 1875.
The church was promoted to cathedral status by Pope Leo XIII
in 1895. It received the Basilica title in 1926, when the Diocese of Samogitia
was reorganized into the Metropolitan Archdiocese
of Kaunas by Pope Pius XI
. The cathedral, being 84 m long, 28 m height and 34 m wide is the largest Gothic church in Lithuania. The Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament
, built in 1895, is an independent extension of the southern nave
with carved wood
furnishings in the neo-gothic style.
There is also a Neogothic
mausoleum
of one of the most famous Lithuanian romantic poet
s Maironis
near the wall of the chapel.
Kaunas Cathedral Basilica was included into the Registry of Immovable Cultural Heritage Sites of the Republic of Lithuania in 1996. Lithuanian Cardinal
Vincentas Sladkevičius
was also buried in the Kaunas Cathedral Basilica in 2000.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
.
The exact date when the first Gothic style
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
church dedicated to apostles Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and Saint Paul, was built is unknown, but it was first mentioned in written sources in 1413. The first parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
in Kaunas at the St. Peter and St. Paul church was mentioned in 1473. The construction works were concluded only in 1624
1620s in architecture
-Buildings:* 1627 - Palazzo Barberini in Rome begun by Carlo Maderno and Francesco Borromini .* 1627 - Muchalls Castle in Scotland, reconstruction completed by Thomas Burnett of Leys.* 1628 - George Heriot's Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland....
. The church greatly suffered from wars in 1655
Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)
The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667, also called Thirteen Years' War, First Northern War, War for Ukraine was the last major conflict between Tsardom of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1655 and 1660, the Second Northern War was also fought in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,...
and was rebuilt in 1671 and gained some Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
features. Only one of the towers was rebuilt after the fire of the roof in 1732. As a part of renovation, the internal decorations were funded by the King Stanisław August Poniatowski in 1771. The main altar, a lectern and a choir were installed by Tomasz Podhajski in 1775. The present day shape of the building is from 1800 renovation.
Тhе bishop of Samogitia, historian and one of the best known Lithuanian writers of the 19th century Motiejus Valančius
Motiejus Valancius
Motiejus Valančius was a Catholic bishop of Samogitia, historian and one of the best known Lithuanian writers of the 19th century.-Biography:...
was interred in a crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
of the church in 1875.
The church was promoted to cathedral status by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
in 1895. It received the Basilica title in 1926, when the Diocese of Samogitia
Samogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
was reorganized into the Metropolitan Archdiocese
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Kaunas by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
. The cathedral, being 84 m long, 28 m height and 34 m wide is the largest Gothic church in Lithuania. The Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, to refer to the Host after it has been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist...
, built in 1895, is an independent extension of the southern nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
with carved wood
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
furnishings in the neo-gothic style.
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
of one of the most famous Lithuanian romantic poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
s Maironis
Maironis
Maironis is one of the most famous Lithuanian romantic poets. He was born in Pasandravys, Raseiniai district municipality, Lithuania. Maironis graduated from Kaunas high school and went on to study Literature at Kiev University. However, in 1884, after one year of studies at the university, he...
near the wall of the chapel.
Kaunas Cathedral Basilica was included into the Registry of Immovable Cultural Heritage Sites of the Republic of Lithuania in 1996. Lithuanian Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Vincentas Sladkevičius
Vincentas Sladkevicius
Vincentas Sladkevičius, MIC was a Lithuanian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Kaunas from 1989 to 1996, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1988.-Biography:...
was also buried in the Kaunas Cathedral Basilica in 2000.