Panevėžys Cathedral

The Christ the King Cathedral in the Lithuanian city of Panevezys is the bishop's church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevėžys.

Already in 1860 a new Catholic church was to be built in the city, but what could not be implemented due to political unrest, as the Russian government had the construction of Catholic churches prohibited. Only in 1904 was a small chapel to be built. Until then, Catholic services were held in the Peter and Paul's Church. After the diocese was founded in 1926, expanding the small chapel to the cathedral was needed that could be ordained in 1930. As an architect for the 55 -meter long new church could Rytis Staikunas and the engineer Aleksandra Gordevicius be won. The cathedral was completed in spite of their early consecration until 1933.

While the neo-baroque church is held outside yellow, dominates the interior of the color light blue. Also, elements of neoclassicism can be found on the exterior. The tower, in which four bells hanging from Apolda, is integrated into the facade. There are also statues of Pope Pius XI on her. as the founder of the diocese and Archbishop Jurgis Matulaitis - Matulevičius that are about three feet tall.

The vault in the three-nave interior was designed by Povilas Puzinas. At the richly gilded high altar of oak there is a Christ the King statue, which was created by Juozas Zikaras. The altar is surmounted by a large canopy, standing on white columns and flanked by angels. From the St. Peter and Paul 's Church in Vilnius several Baroque sculptures of the 17th and 18th centuries were transferred to the new cathedral, which now adorn the interior. Also striking is the large choir fresco, which measures 22x14 meters and the "Miracle of Polotsk " shows. In the choir room ten churches of the diocese Panevezys are painted. The side altars made ​​of wood come from Joseph Rifesser. While the left side altar is a copy of the Sistine Madonna, the right side altar Francis of Assisi is dedicated. The side altars are flanked by statues representing Albert of Riga and St. Monica. They show how Francis helps the crucified Jesus, and a painting of St. Casimir. The vault frescoes of Puzinas show angel frescoes in the clouds and the four evangelists. He created just eight large paintings that hang in the nave.

The organ dates from Königsberg organ builder Bruno Göbel.

Beneath the choir are the Kasimirkapelle and the crypt. Here lies also the first bishop of Panevėžys Casimir Paltarokas.