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Walks in Christian Vilnius
Walks in Christian Vilnius is the first comprehensive cultural guide of multiconfessional and multinational Vilnius. It is often emphasized that Vilnius is a city in which Christianity, Judaism and Islam each found their place. But equally remarkable is the way in which Eastern and Western, or Greek and Latin, Christianity have closely co-existed in the capital of Lithuania over many centuries, an exceptional phenomenon in Europe. This book covers both the heritage and the present situation of Eastern and Western Christianity in Vilnius, explaining the long-forgotten meanings of cultural values distant from modern life and drawing connections with contemporary experience.
This is not a book about the history of Christianity in Vilnius or Lithuania, although it contains plenty of historical references. Rather, it is an attempt to see in Vilnius not just the beauty of the city, but also its meaning, and to find connections between the fine artistic forms with the faith which has grown deep into its culture, narratives, symbols and signs.
The book is intended for walks that single out topics associated with the religious life of the city in the urban fabric of Vilnius. The genre of walks also serves as an indication of another peculiarity of the book: it is not just a guidebook, but also a personal story with plenty of impressions, opinions and memories.
„The fabric of Lithuanian history and culture, which has been torn many times, has preserved these unbroken threads which, like the mythical threads of Ariadne, can help one find the way to the sources of life-giving water, without which Vilnius would not be what it is – one of the great cities of Europe.“ - Irena Vaišvilaitė.
Irena Vaišvilaitė (born 1954) is a cultural historian and former Lithuanian Ambassador to the Holy See, who is a professor at Vilnius University Faculty of History. Her field of study is cultural history between the 17th and 20th centuries. She is particularly interested in the religious aspects of culture.
This is not a book about the history of Christianity in Vilnius or Lithuania, although it contains plenty of historical references. Rather, it is an attempt to see in Vilnius not just the beauty of the city, but also its meaning, and to find connections between the fine artistic forms with the faith which has grown deep into its culture, narratives, symbols and signs.
The book is intended for walks that single out topics associated with the religious life of the city in the urban fabric of Vilnius. The genre of walks also serves as an indication of another peculiarity of the book: it is not just a guidebook, but also a personal story with plenty of impressions, opinions and memories.
„The fabric of Lithuanian history and culture, which has been torn many times, has preserved these unbroken threads which, like the mythical threads of Ariadne, can help one find the way to the sources of life-giving water, without which Vilnius would not be what it is – one of the great cities of Europe.“ - Irena Vaišvilaitė.
Irena Vaišvilaitė (born 1954) is a cultural historian and former Lithuanian Ambassador to the Holy See, who is a professor at Vilnius University Faculty of History. Her field of study is cultural history between the 17th and 20th centuries. She is particularly interested in the religious aspects of culture.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
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About the author
Irena Vaišvilaitė
13 booksIrena Vaišvilaitė (1954) is a Lithuanian historian and diplomat who served as Lithuania ambassador to the Holy See and later Permanent Representative to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 17, 2023
Knyga yra tarsi glausta istorijos santrauka apie Vilniaus senamiestį: kaip jį statė Radvilos, Chodkevičiai, Pacai ir kiti LDK didikai.
Bet čia išskirtinį dėmesį skiria bažnyčioms, cerkvėms ir vienuolynams; kaip, kas, kada jas statė, kas sugriovė, perstatė ar atstatė.
Dominikonai, Jėzuitai, Bernardinai - visi yra tos pačios krikščionybės atstovai. Bet kodėl jų tiek daug skirtingų? Tai vienas iš atsakymų, kuriuos galite rasti knygoje.
Bet čia išskirtinį dėmesį skiria bažnyčioms, cerkvėms ir vienuolynams; kaip, kas, kada jas statė, kas sugriovė, perstatė ar atstatė.
Dominikonai, Jėzuitai, Bernardinai - visi yra tos pačios krikščionybės atstovai. Bet kodėl jų tiek daug skirtingų? Tai vienas iš atsakymų, kuriuos galite rasti knygoje.
September 29, 2021
Kaip atsiliepime rašo Dovaidas - pirmoji dalis apie arkikatedrą skaitosi sunkiai. Daug vardų, detalių, kurios pasakojimui neprideda vertės. Matyt stengtasi pabrėžti, kad tai svarbiausia Vilniaus šventovė. Kiti pasivaikščiojimai gerokai įdomesni - detalūs, bet išlaikytas neblogas balansas tarp gyvo pasakojimo ir sausesnių faktų. Aprašytos puikios, anksčiau mano nepastebėtos, detalės - knygos dėka ant alumnato sienos pastebėjau atidengtą vyskupo atvaizdą, įdomi restauratoriaus klaida ant Šv. Dvasios bažnyčios ir pan. Į arkikatedrą šiemet grąžintą Šv. Stanislovo relikviją irgi iškart pažinau iš aprašymo knygoje. Įdomus skyrius apie "graikų tikėjimo krikščionis" - pasirodo taip vadinti teisingiausia, nors skyriaus apie reformatus norėjosi išsamesnio. Būtų pravertęs ir nedidelis Vilniaus planelis su pažymėtomis pasivaikščiojimų vietomis.
December 14, 2020
Kantrybės šiek tiek reikalauja pirmas ketvirtis knygos, ištisi 80 psl., skirti vien tik Katedrai. Taip pat kartais net įkyriai prokatalikiškas požiūris į kitas krikščionių bažnyčias. Bet apskritai - vertas dėmesio gidas po Vilniaus istoriją ir architektūrą.
October 15, 2017
Knyga apie Vilniaus miesto krikščioniškąjį paveldą. Išsamiai aptarti architektūriniai akcentai, bažnyčios, įdomesnės vietos. Labai naudinga knyga vaikščiojant po Vilniaus gatves ir susipažįstant su kultūriniu paveldu.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews