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The first church in Kelmė was established in 1416 by Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania. Later, the Kelmė church was rebuilt several times, and it was not until 1900 that a new design by architect J. P. Dzekonskis for a brick church was approved. In 1901, the wooden church was demolished, and services were moved to the Verpena chapel. In 1901, the foundations of the future church were consecrated. The construction was supervised by architect Nikolajus Andrejevas. Under the care of pastor Petras Janušauskas, the church was built in 1908 (and consecrated the same year). From 1910 to 1914, a branch of the Lithuanian Catholic Temperance Society operated. The church is Neo-Gothic, with a Latin cross plan, a three-sided apse, and a tall façade tower. There is a turret at the intersection of the roofs. The interior has three naves separated by pillars. The churchyard is enclosed by a masonry fence with arched gates.
Religious Heritage
Kelmė