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Indulgences of the Holy Trinity in Rykantai church of the Holy Trinity
While on Oginskis Road stop at Rykantai indulgences of the Holy Trinity
With gothic constructions, renaissance forms Rykantai church of the Holy Trinity is one of the oldest churches in Trakai district. It was built in 1585 by the owner of Rykantai manor A.Tolvaišas. The beauty of the church delighted even those who had visited the most important cities of Europe. Rykantai was in the hands of Oginskis family by the 17th century. Moscow’s army destroyed the church in 1655. It was being restored by Marcijonas Oginskis for more than three decades. He handed over the church to Trakai Dominican Monastery in 1688, and then Rykantai church became a Catholic one. Rykantai parish of the Holy Trinity was established in 1921, and the church was restored later in 1935.
Oginskis family name is related to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL) as well as dukes and noblemen of Lithuania that had a big influence on the cultural and political life of Lithuania from the end of the 17th century. At the usual place for the monuments of the founders, full-length portraits of Marcijonas Aleksandras Oginskis and his wife Marcibelė Glebavičiūtė were painted on both sides of the altar in Rykantai church. Today, almost completely faded and barely visible, damaged by previous restorations, they can be considered not only the epitaphs of a noble family (a short piece of writing or a poem about a dead person, especially one written on their gravestone) but also fundamental images of deserving spouses of the church, even though they only restored the house of God damaged by the Russians. The latter, in this case the main function of these works of art, is reflected by the proud position of Oginskis and the canopies rising above both figures, depicting the spouses not as humble servants of the Church, but as proud benefactors.
Sunday of the Holy Trinity is celebrated a week after Pentecost in respect of one of the fundamental truths of Christianity – belief in the Holy Trinity. This celebration of the Holy Trinity was declared universal by Pope John XXII. Every year during the celebration of the Holy Trinity, indulgences are held in the church. During the indulgences, Mass with local priests and guests is solemnly celebrated, there is an ongoing procession as well as diverse spiritual and cultural program.
Rykantai Church is included in the route of the Oginskis Cultural Heritage Road, which looks like this: Elektrėnai district–Vievis Eastern Orthodox church–Plungė district–Manor of Plungė, Trakai district–Rykantai church, the city of Vilnius–Oginskis family palace–ensemble of Vileišis Palace, Eastern Orthodox church of the Holy Spirit, Vilnius district–Observatory of Vilnius University. This educational route and its landmarks are directly associated with Oginiskis family and their legacy to Lithuania. It’s at least a two-day route, which will present one with a lot of excitement, history and, of course, fun emotions and experiences.
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