Around 1776, the first church was built in Old Varėna, funded by the State Chancellor Mykolas Bžostovskis. In 1874, Konstantinas Čiurlionis and his wife Adelė came to Old Varėna from Liškiava to work as organists. In the autumn of the following year (22 September 1875 (10 according to the old calendar)) their first son was born. The first child was baptised Mikalojus Konstantinas on 1st October by the priest Aloyzas Giaras in the St. Michael the Archangel Church.

The church was destroyed during World War I. In 1994, a new church was built on the same site according to a design by architects Bruno Bakaitis and Gediminas Baravykas. The new church uses forms and rhythms similar to the work of M.K. Čiurlionis, for example the bell tower of the sanctuary is reminiscent of the bell tower of the painting "Spring" (1907). The very fact of Čiurlionis' baptism is commemorated in a commemorative plaque (by Mantas Paulauskas) and stained glass windows (by Vytautas Švarlys).

Every year, in cooperation with the Lithuanian Musicians' Support Foundation, the Church of St. Michael the Archangel organizes the musical program "The Way of M. K. Čiurlionis", which starts and takes place during the festival "Druskininkai Summer with M. K. Čiurlionis".

More information: www.ciurlioniokelias.lt

St. Michael the Archangel Church

St. Michael the Archangel Church

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