The Holy Spirit Church of Vilnius

2025 By justmovingaround in History, Sacred Grounds Tags: Churches and Religious Heritage, Lithuania, Orthodox

This post shares my impressions from visiting the Holy Spirit Church in Vilnius – an example of Baroque sacral architecture and one of the most important Orthodox churches in Lithuania. With photos and reflections, I explore its layered history and its interior.

The Holy Spirit Church of Vilnius | Vilniaus Šv. Dvasios bažnyčia | Kościół Świętego Ducha w Wilnie | Церковь Святого Духа в Вильнюсе

Normally, on this blog, I tend to showcase various Catholic or Protestant churches. However, during a few of my recent travels, I had the opportunity to visit several Orthodox churches — and, on some occasions, even take photographs inside. Sometimes photography was prohibited, but if you refrained from using flash and took respectful pictures rather than selfies, there was often a quiet acceptance that allowed visitors to capture a few images.

Today, I would like to share a glimpse of an Orthodox church that you would hardly notice from the street, though it is not particularly difficult to find. It is the Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius. If you enter the Old Town through the Gate of Dawn (the one above which the Chapel of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn is located), walk a short distance straight ahead, pass another church on your right-hand side, and a few step further you will see a gateway. This leads into a courtyard or garden area, where the Church of the Holy Spirit is situated.

THE INTERIOR

Although this church is not lavishly decorated compared to grand Orthodox cathedrals, it possesses a quiet and distinctive charm. The interior is modest yet captivating, dominated by a vibrant three-tiered wooden iconostasis richly adorned with carvings and gilded details, characteristic of the Baroque style. The main altar stands out with its deep green and gold tones, which immediately draw the visitor’s eye. In the centre of the sanctuary, there is a display case containing the relics of the Martyrs of Vilnius — Saints John, Anthony, and Eustathius. The relics are draped in a liturgical vestment and placed under an elegant wooden canopy, richly decorated with carved ornaments and small hanging incense burners. This arrangement enhances the sacred and intimate ambiance of the space. The walls are lined with traditional Orthodox icons, including one particularly striking image depicting two female saints (likely St. Barbara and St. Catherine). Despite its simplicity, the Church of the Holy Spirit leaves a powerful impression as you can see on the photos.

The Holy Spirit Church, Vilnius, Lithuania | 维尔纽斯圣灵教堂，立陶宛 | Šventosios Dvasios cerkvė, Vilnius, Lietuva

The Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius takes its name from the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity in Christian theology, symbolising divine presence and inspiration. The original church on this site was a wooden structure built in 1638. After a fire in the 18th century destroyed the building, the current stone church was constructed between 1749 and 1753 under the supervision of architect Johann Christoph Glaubitz.

The Holy Spirit Church of Vilnius | Vilniaus Šv. Dvasios bažnyčia | Kościół Świętego Ducha w Wilnie | Церковь Святого Духа в Вильнюсе

SAINTS JOHN, ANTHONY AND EUSTATHIUS

The Church of the Holy Spirit is particularly revered as the resting place of the Martyrs of Vilnius — Saints John, Anthony, and Eustathius. According to tradition, these three men served as courtiers at the court of Grand Duke Algirdas of Lithuania.

In the 14th century, when Grand Duke Algirdas ruled Lithuania, the country was officially pagan. However, Algirdas was married to a Christian princess — Princess Juliana (or Maria), who was Orthodox and came from Novgorod or the Rus lands. Thanks to this union, there was a degree of tolerance towards Orthodoxy at the ducal court, at least in private life. It was in this environment that a number of courtiers, including John, Anthony, and Eustathius, came into contact with Orthodox Christianity. They grew interested in the new faith and were baptised most likely under the influence of the Grand Duchess’s entourage or the Orthodox clergy present at the court.

Although Algirdas was personally tolerant of different religions, Lithuania as a state remained formally pagan. When these three courtiers converted to Orthodox Christianity, they broke the official religious norm at court. This act was perceived as a threat to the unity and security of the pagan state, rather than merely a personal religious choice. Consequently, they were pressured to revert to paganism. Their refusal to abandon their new faith led to their execution around the year 1347. The martyrs’ bodies were buried at or near the place of their execution, and were soon venerated by the faithful.

With the consolidation of Christianity in Lithuania after 1387 and the growth of the Orthodox community in Vilnius, the relics were transferred to the city’s main Orthodox church — the Church of the Holy Spirit. The final translation of the relics occurred in 1581, when they were placed in a special chapel within the Church of the Holy Spirit, inside an ornate reliquary. Despite numerous upheavals — the partitions of Poland, Tsarist rule, and the Soviet era — the relics have survived. Today they are enshrined in a display case at the centre of the sanctuary. The relics are draped in vestments of different colours according to the liturgical calendar: black during Lent, white at Christmas, and red on major feast days, reflecting the solemn or festive nature of each liturgical season.

The Holy Spirit Church of Vilnius | Vilniaus Šv. Dvasios bažnyčia | Kościół Świętego Ducha w Wilnie | Церковь Святого Духа в Вильнюсе

NEVER BELONGED TO UNIATE CHURCH

Another significant historical aspect of the Church of the Holy Spirit is that, unlike many other Orthodox churches in this region, it was never handed over to the Uniate Church (Greek Catholic Church). To understand the importance of this, we must delve deeper into the religious history of this part of Europe. In 1569, the union was concluded between the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, creating a single state — the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth — which also encompassed vast territories of what is now Ukraine, Belarus, and parts of Latvia.

Poland had adopted Catholicism as early as 966, when Duke Mieszko I was baptised along with his court according to the Latin rite (Roman Catholicism). This was a deliberate political move: Poland chose to align itself with Western Christianity (Latin culture, Rome) rather than the Eastern Orthodox Christianity (Byzantine culture, Byzantium, Eastern rite). From that moment, Poland remained a Catholic country, although other denominations (such as Protestantism in the 16th century) later appeared.

Lithuania, in contrast, was the last pagan state in Europe and did not officially embrace Christianity until 1387. However, even before its official baptism, Lithuania controlled vast Ruthenian territories (modern-day Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Russia), where the population had been Orthodox Christian since the 11th century. Thus, while ethnic Lithuania (the Baltic tribes) remained pagan, many of its subjects in the eastern lands were already Orthodox.

The fusion of these traditions was sealed when Grand Duke Jogaila (later Władysław Jagiełło) accepted Catholicism in 1386 to marry Queen Jadwiga of Poland, subsequently becoming King of Poland. In 1387, he baptised the ethnic Lithuanians according to the Latin rite. As a result, the Lithuanian elites and ethnic Lithuanians became Catholic, while the eastern regions of the Grand Duchy (what is now Belarus and Ukraine) remained Orthodox.

In 1596, following the establishment of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (a deeper union between Poland and Lithuania), a portion of the Orthodox bishops accepted the authority of the Pope, creating the Greek Catholic (or Uniate) Church. A widespread effort began to subordinate Orthodox communities to this new ecclesiastical structure, often through administrative and political pressure. Many Orthodox churches, especially in towns and villages, were converted to the Uniate Church, losing their original affiliation. However, the Church of the Holy Spirit, as one of the main centres of Orthodoxy in Vilnius, successfully resisted these pressures and retained its unbroken affiliation with the Orthodox Church.

Today, the Holy Spirit Church remains the principal Orthodox church in Lithuania and maintains close ties with the adjacent Orthodox Monasteries of the Holy Spirit and Saint Mary Magdalene. The church serves as the Metropolitan Cathedral.

To my LITHUANIA main site

The Cold Beet Soup: A Refreshing Eastern European Dish for Summer

2024 By justmovingaround in Local Culture Tags: Lithuania, local food, Poland

Not every dish is easy to photograph, and not every dish needs to be. But cold beet soup, with its impossible-to-ignore colour and refreshing simplicity, makes a good candidate. It’s served across Eastern Europe in slightly different forms, under names that sound related: Chłodnik, Šaltibarščiai, Svekolnik. And although it has roots in another country, it feels local to me too. I’ve tried it in canteens, homes, and restaurants – some excellent, some not. This post is a small tribute to a soup that looks dramatic, tastes light, and never pretends to be more than what it is.

Usually, when travelling and taking photos, I focus on architecture, artefacts, and landscapes. Occasionally, I photograph dishes served in local restaurants, but these photos rarely capture the taste and ingredients. When I have the time and inclination to cook, I try to follow traditional recipes found online to recreate the flavours and aromas of the dishes I’ve tried abroad. The cold beat soup is also a traditional dish in my country. In fact, it was even served today in the canteen where I work.

It’s a seasonal soup, served as a refreshment in the summer. As you might have guessed, this soup is served cold and is best enjoyed straight from the fridge. Unusual, isn’t it?

Cold beet soup, to my knowledge, originates from Lithuania, where it is called Šaltibarščiai. In Lithuania, the traditional ingredients for cold beet soup typically include beets, kefir or buttermilk, cucumbers, fresh dill, green onions, and hard-boiled eggs, with sour cream as an optional addition. Boiled potatoes are often served on the side.

However, as many territories in Central and Eastern Europe were part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Medieval Ages, this dish is widespread in present-day local kitchens in numerous countries. In Poland, it is known as Chłodnik, closely resembling the Lithuanian version with ingredients like beets, cucumbers, kefir or yogurt, and dill. In Russia, a similar soup called Svekolnik often includes kefir, cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs, and sometimes kvass instead of dairy. Latvia‘s version, Aukstā zupa, features beets, kefir, cucumbers, dill, and sometimes boiled potatoes or radishes. Ukraine’s Holodnyk is made with beets, kefir or sour cream, cucumbers, and occasionally radishes and green onions. Belarus serves Khaladnik, which includes beets, cucumbers, kefir, and is typically garnished with fresh herbs like dill and green onions.

Lithuanian cold beet soup | Lietuviška šalta burokėlių sriuba | Soupe froide de betteraves lituanienne | Sopa fría de remolacha lituana | Sopa fria de beterraba lituana | 立陶宛冷菜甜菜汤 | リトアニアの冷たいビートスープ | 리투아니아식 차가운 비트 수프 | Chłodnik litewski

Some time ago, I tasted cold beet soup in a Jewish restaurant in Tykocin, Northern Poland (closer to Lithuania than Warsaw where I live), which differed slightly from the version I know from Poland and Vilnius. It maintained the core components but was additionally flavoured with garlic and horseradish for extra zest. As far as I can recall, but it might have been in another restaurant, pickled cucumbers and radish had been added to the soup. What is interesting, I always thought this soup was impossible to ruin. But a few weeks ago, I was in a quite renowned restaurant in Warsaw, where I was served the worst cold beet soup I have ever had. The chef filled the soup with an excessive amount of dill and garlic, making it inedible. Dill and garlic are simply meant to be flavourings in a good cold beet soup, not its main ingredients.

To make the traditional Lithuanian cold beet soup, you will need the following ingredients (4-6 servings):

4 medium-sized beets
1 litre of kefir or buttermilk
2 cucumbers
4 green onions
a small bunch of fresh dill (about 30 grams)
4 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons of sour cream (optional)

Start by boiling the beets until they are tender. Once cooked, peel and grate the beets into a large bowl. Pour the kefir or buttermilk over the grated beets and mix well to combine. This step ensures that the beets are thoroughly blended with the dairy, creating a smooth base for the soup.

Next, finely chop the cucumbers, green onions, and fresh dill, and add them to the beet mixture. Peel and chop the hard-boiled eggs into small pieces and stir them into the bowl. If desired, add a spoonful of sour cream to enhance the creaminess and flavour of the soup. Season the mixture with salt to taste, and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the flavours to meld. When ready to serve, ladle the chilled soup into bowls and garnish with additional dill or green onions if desired.

To my other posts on cuisine

The Cold Beet Soup: A Refreshing Eastern European Dish for Summer

Rasos cemetery

2024 By justmovingaround in Sacred Grounds, Sightseeing Tags: Cemeteries, Lithuania

The Rasos cemetery in Vilnius is one of the oldest cemeteries in Lithuania, with a rich historical and cultural significance. The complex comprises the Old Rasos, established in 1796, and the New Rasos established in 1847. Its origins can be traced back to 1436, when victims of the plague were buried in the area.

Rasos Cemetery, Vilnius, Lithuania, cmentarz na Rossie

Originally, a suburban cemetery was established in 1769 after the closure of the church and cemetery of St. Joseph and Nicodemus. With the growing population of Vilnius, it was transformed into an urban necropolis in 1801. This transition was part of a larger trend across Europe, as traditional churchyard burials became insufficient, leading to the creation of larger and more organized cemeteries outside city centers. The cemetery expanded in 1814 to include the area known as the Hill of Literati, and was enclosed with a wall in 1820. In 1847, a new necropolis, known as New Rasos, was established across the street.

The Rasos cemetery is distinguished by the numerous monuments and memorials dedicated to national heroes, intellectuals, and freedom fighters. It is the final resting place of prominent figures from Polish, Lithuanian, Belarusian, and other cultures, commemorating the multicultural heritage of the region. The graves of those who participated in the 1863 January Uprising against the Russian Empire further emphasize its significance as a site of national memory and respect. Ahead of the main entrance you will find, a small military quarter, which is the final resting place for Polish officers and volunteers who fell in the battles for Vilnius in 1919–1920, as well as soldiers perished in fights of 1944.

Tragically, during World War II and the subsequent Soviet occupation, the cemetery suffered from neglect and vandalism, reflecting the turbulent political climate of the time. However, despite these challenges, it remained a focal point for national remembrance and identity, particularly for the Polish community. In recent decades, extensive efforts have been undertaken to restore and preserve Rasos Cemetery, recognizing its historical, cultural, and emotional significance. I was to this place in 2011 and 2023, and had a chance to compare photos. The difference is enormous. In this post, you can see photos taken in 2023.

The picturesque location on steep moraine hills, featuring four hills — the Hill of Literati, the Angel Hill, the Helpful Hill, and the South Hill — adds to the cemetery’s allure. Its elevational difference of about 30 meters creates a captivating landscape, with numerous sculptures, monuments, and architectural details spanning from Gothic to neoclassical styles, of which 263 are listed monuments. The serene and contemplative atmosphere, enhanced by centuries-old trees and meandering paths, offers visitors a space for personal reflection and quiet walks. It is recommended to visit the cemetery in the morning to fully appreciate its beauty in the gentle morning sun.