List of Catholic pilgrimage sites in Lithuania
There are many Catholic pilgrimage sites in Lithuania. There is no official list or designation of the sites. The government established the Pilgrim Route of John Paul II (16 sites) in 2007 though there are many more sites that attract local pilgrims. There are many sites visited by residents of the same parish or deanery, or sites that saw their devotion diminish through the years. Priest Robertas Gedvydas Skrinskas in his 1999 guide to pilgrimage sites counted more than 100 Marian images that are considered miraculous and 25 sites of Marian apparitions.[1] As of 2013, there were 33 Lourdes grottoes in Lithuania, mainly in Samogitia.[2] The list below includes only the key sites that continue to be visited by pilgrims.
History
Catholic pilgrimage sites in Lithuania started developing in the 17th century. Such delayed development was caused by the late Christianization of Lithuania in 1387 and the slow adoption of Christianity among the population that still worshiped pagan gods.[3] The first known pilgrimage took place in 1604 when Bishop Benedykt Woyna organized a Jesuit pilgrimage from Vilnius to the Mother of God of Trakai. Šiluva became a pilgrimage destination after a Marian apparition in 1608—the only recognized apparition in Lithuania. The first cavalries in Žemaičių Kalvarija and Verkiai (Vilnius) were built in 1637–1642 and 1662–1669.[4] Vilnius attracted pilgrims not only with the Calvary, but also with the relics of Saint Casimir in Vilnius Cathedral (dedicated Chapel of Saint Casimir was completed in 1636) and Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn (dedicated chapel was completed in 1671). Many pilgrims traveled not to visit specific sites but to get an indulgence during parish festivals (Lithuanian: atlaidai).[1]
During the
List
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References
- ^ ISSN 2335-8610.
- ISSN 2335-8610.
- ^ ISBN 978-609-95111-0-8.
- ISBN 978-1786390271.
- ^ "Šv. Jokūbo kelias Lietuvoje" (in Lithuanian). Lietuvos Šv. Jokūbo kelio savivaldybių asociacija. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
External links
- Pilgrim Route of John Paul II
- Pilgrim's Guide to Marian Sites (in Lithuanian)