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The Defense of Kęstaičiai Church
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The site of the martyrs in Kęstaičiai is one of Lithuania's most historically and religiously significant locations, closely linked with the struggles to preserve the Catholic faith. In 1883, as the Russian Imperial authorities attempted to close Kęstaičiai Church, local residents began their resistance. At that time, Kražiai was considered one of the centers of Catholicism in Lithuania, home to several monasteries. The Russian authorities sought to promote Orthodoxy by closing Catholic churches and monasteries and replacing them with Orthodox churches.
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The site of the martyrs in Kęstaičiai is one of Lithuania's most historically and religiously significant locations, closely linked with the struggles to preserve the Catholic faith. In 1883, as the Russian Imperial authorities attempted to close Kęstaičiai Church, local residents began their resistance. At that time, Kražiai was considered one of the centers of Catholicism in Lithuania, home to several monasteries. The Russian authorities sought to promote Orthodoxy by closing Catholic churches and monasteries and replacing them with Orthodox churches.
Upon learning of the planned closure, local residents guarded the church for three
months. On November 22, the governor of Kaunas, Nikolai Klingenberg, arrived at the church with policemen and officials, where they were met by around 400 people. The faithful attempted to greet the governor peacefully, but the situation quickly escalated into conflict. At the governor's request, a Cossack regiment arrived and violently attacked the worshipers, leading to a tragedy — official records indicate that 9 people were killed and another 54 injured.
In memory of this event, over 40 crosses have been erected in Kęstaičiai, and annual commemorative ceremonies are held to honor the fallen, attracting pilgrims and tourists alike.
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