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Butinge Evangelical Lutheran Church

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The Butinge Evangelical Lutheran Church has a long history, beginning in 1520, when the first Catholic church was built in Elija. After 1540, the priest of Elija converted to Lutheranism, making the church more accessible to the local Kurši people. In 1637, a flood destroyed the church, and in 1728, it was consecrated by Pastor Venkis. After the collapse in 1809, Tsar Alexander I provided funding, and in 1824, a new brick church was consecrated near the Butinge Manor, although some believed that the construction should have taken place in Elija. The Butinge parish had once been a branch of the Rucava parish.

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The Butinge Evangelical Lutheran Church has deep historical roots. The first church in Elija (modern-day Šventoji) was built in 1520 as a Catholic place of worship. After 1540, the priest of Elija converted to Lutheranism, making the church closer to the Kurši people living in the area. However, in 1637, a flood washed away the church, and a new one was started, consecrated in 1728 by Pastor Venkis. In 1809, the church collapsed again, and in 1816, during Tsar Alexander I's visit to the Courland Governorate,

a request was submitted to restore the church. The Tsar agreed and allocated 40,000 rubles for this purpose. Despite disagreements about the construction site, in 1822, the foundation for the new brick church was laid near the Butinge Manor, and in 1824, the church was consecrated. There are stories that locals debated for a long time about the church being built in Butinge, although the real imperial support was given to Elija. The Butinge (Šventoji) parish was once a branch of the Rucava parish.

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