Church of Sts Peter and Paul- Vilnius, Lithuania

This is a church that we saw first thing on our second short visit to Vilnius. The guidebook says it is 4 km out of town but in fact it's only about 1 - 2 km from the Lower Castle and along the same street.
We visited it on a Sunday and a Polish Mass was being celebrated when we came in. When I took the first picture a man standing behind me protested but when I explained to him I needed the pictures for the internet and had no time to wait till the end, he let me take a few. I think it was my Polish that did it or perhaps he could hear the despair in my voice.:) Whichever it was, thanks so much for the permission. But I had to be discreet so took only pictures away from the main altar not to disturb the priest.
The church was founded by Hetman M.K. Pac (in Lithuanian Pacas) on the site of an old wooden church which had burnt down during the Muscovite invasion on Vilnius in 1655-61. After the war, Lithuanian soldiers, enraged by receiving no pay, started to take it out on their commanders and murder them. One of their victims was Kazimierz Chwalibog-Zeromski, the commander in the recent courageous defence of the castles of Vilnius, who was cruelly murdered by his soldiers at St Theresa's Church. The Hetman himself had to look for shelter in the ruins of St Peter and St Paul's Church. It was then that he vowed to build a new church on this site if he was spared his friends' fate.
The new church was magnificent. Pac employed the best Italian and local architects and artists and the results exceeded expectations. Yet the founder did not live to see his church complete - he died in 1682, having first ordered his body to be buried under the threshold of the new church with the inscription on top 'Hic iace peccator' (Here lies a sinner).
The exterior of the church is not too ornate but the interior, in which white predominates, is simply stunning: the white stucco sculptures, relief work and decorative panels cover all the surfaces. Altogether there are about 2000 pieces of sculpture, depicting scenes from the New Testament, the lives of the saints and Lithuanian history. The chandelier made in crystal and brass was the gift of Venice for the consecration of the church. On one of the walls outside you can see a painting on wood featuring the plague raging in Vilnius in 1710.
When you visit the church, have a close look at the sculptures and you will find some surprises as the sculptors seem to be playing games with the audience. For instance, one of the statues seems to be crying when you look at her from one side and smiling when viewed from the other side. The statue of Christ is fixed to the wall only by one foot, and so on. We couldn't go round the church during Mass so we are sure to go back there to see more.
For a few more pictures, see the travelogue.

Church of Sts Peter and Paul, Vilnius

Vilnius Hotels

Church of Sts Peter and Paul, Vilnius

Visiting Vilnius?

Visiting Vilnius?

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