Lyntupy. Church of St. Andrew the Apostle.

Story

The Catholic parish in Lyntupy was founded in the 15th century. The first wooden temple was built here around 1459, when the Vilnius governor Andrei Dovgirdovich built a wooden temple here.

On August 1, 1472, Prince Senka Romanovich Svirsky, together with his wife Bogdana, issued a deed of gift in Svir, according to which they allocated funds for the creation and maintenance of the altar in the Svir Church. Among others, the letter was signed by the Lyntup pleban Yakub.

On October 9, 1486, Anna Dolgirdovna, the wife of Ivashka Ilyinich, donated the altar in her church in Lyntupy, consecrated in the name of the Ascension of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, St. Andrew and St. Yuri by Vilnius Bishop Andrei. Her husband also donated tithes of grain and vegetable gardens from his Komarovo and Markov yards to the church.

A brick chapel was built in 1640.

In 1886, the rector of the church was Joseph Roba, who had a golden pectoral cross.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the wooden church burned down. Since the parish was large and the building that existed before the fire could not accommodate believers, in 1908 construction began on a new, more spacious building. The temple was made in a pseudo-baroque style, construction was completed in 1914.

During Soviet times, attempts were made to close the temple, but parishioners managed to defend it.

Architecture.

The Church of St. Andrew is a two-tower, three-nave basilica in pseudo-Baroque style. The center of the main facade is highlighted by a two-tier risalit and a triangular pediment at the top. Under the triangular pediment of the facade from the main entrance there are four pilasters built into the wall, imitating a classic portico. On the facades there are niches, which probably previously housed sculptures. The stained glass windows are framed by semicircular arches. Along the entire perimeter, the facade of the church at the level of the second tier is surrounded by a cornice.

The interior decoration of the church is without frills, but at the same time not entirely “restrained”. The naves are separated by pilasters, between which arched passages are formed. The walls are decorated with frescoes in soothing beige and light colors. There is an organ in the choir.

The temple territory is fenced with a stone fence with a three-span gate.