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Our Lady of Siluva
"Lithuania's Greatest Treasure"

Siluva Facts

1457

Peter Gedgaudas founded a parish and later built a church of "Silai" later called “Sidlava” (from a Polish “szydlo”) then “Siluva.”

1608-1612

Our Blessed Mother appeared to the shepherd children of Siluva.

1622

Fr. Jonas Kazakevicius brought action against the Calvinists and the property was restored to the Catholic Church.

1627

Fr. Jonas Kazakevicius appointed dean in Siluva. A small wooden church was built by his own means. Famous for its miracles, many visitors came.

1641

A larger church was built and he opened a "free of charge" school for village children.

1651

Bishop Petras Parcevskis consecrated the new church.

1663

Bishop Aleksandras Sapiega set an altar over the "stone" on which our Blessed Mother stood. By the altar was placed a small wooden statue of Christ and it is standing there to this day.

1760-1775

Deans of Siluva – Jonas Lopacinskis and Tadas Bukota built a new Siluva church.

1770

Tadas Bukota brought a marble statue of the Blessed Mother and Child from London, which still stands in the chapel of the church.

1818

Bishop Simonas Giedraitis built a larger chapel in the style of the Vilnius Cathedral.

1912-1924

For the 300th anniversary of Siluva Apparitions, a new chapel was built – Antanas Vivulskis, Architect Jonas Maciulis-Maironis. Marcijonas Jurgaitis. Dean of Siluva, consecrated the foundation.

1967

New Organ installed.

1979

The Chapel was re-decorated and gilded.

1980

Four Frescoes were added to the chapel ceiling.

1993

On September 7, 1993, our Holy Father Pope John Paul II visited the shrine of Our Lady of Siluva.

2002

Fr. Virginijus Lenktaitis
Basilica of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Siluvos Bazilikos Klebonas
ir Raseiniu Dekanas

A Prayer

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