The Sacred Heart of Jesus. Stained glass cartoon for the church in Berčiūnai

The construction of a brick church in Berčiūnai began just before the Second World War. The stained glass windows for it, including the large Sacred Heart of Jesus, were made by Stasys Ušinskas (1905–1974). During the war, the unfinished building was damaged by a bomb, and it remained closed after the war. In 1957, it was pulled down, by order of the Soviet government. Ušinskas’ stained glass was preserved, and the largest one was installed in the church in Krekenava. After the restoration of Lithuania’s statehood, a new brick church dedicated to the Lithuanian Martyrs was built in Berčiūnai and consecrated in 1997. Its sanctuary was decorated with the preserved Sacred Heart of Jesus. The cartoon portrays the theme rather traditionally, and differs a lot in its colouring and detail from the final version of the stained glass in Berčiūnai. The usual white clothing of Christ was replaced by a green tunic with a typical Lithuanian pattern and tied with a sash. The figures of angels kneeling on both sides of the Saviour were replaced by a view of Rome on one side and a Lithuanian landscape with recognisable architectural features on the other. The Lithuanian heraldic symbols on the outside of the composition are supplemented by figures of St Casimir, St George, St John Bosco, St Thérese of the Child Jesus, St Anthony, and other important figures in Lithuania at that time. A portrayal of Our Lady of the Gates of Dawn is at the top, and below Christ’s feet is a picture that appeals to Lithuanian peasants, St Isidore the Farmer.

Text author Dalia Vasiliūnienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album HEAVEN AND BEYOND (2016). Compiler Dalia Vasiliūnienė. Text authors Dalia Vasiliūnienė, Skaidrė Urbonienė
Expositions: “The Voice of Lithuania during the Cold War”, 5 June – 5 October 2024, Church Heritage Museum (Šv. Mykolo St. 9, Vilnius). Curator Giedrė Jankevičiūtė. “Heaven and Beyond. Works of religious art from the collection of Rolandas Valiūnas and the law firm Valiunas Ellex“, 31 May–24 September 2016, Church Heritage Museum, Vilnius (curators Dalia Vasiliūnienė, Skaidrė Urbonienė)

The construction of a brick church in Berčiūnai began just before the Second World War. The stained glass windows for it, including the large Sacred Heart of Jesus, were made by Stasys Ušinskas (1905–1974). During the war, the unfinished building was damaged by a bomb, and it remained closed after the war. In 1957, it was pulled down, by order of the Soviet government. Ušinskas’ stained glass was preserved, and the largest one was installed in the church in Krekenava. After the restoration of Lithuania’s statehood, a new brick church dedicated to the Lithuanian Martyrs was built in Berčiūnai and consecrated in 1997. Its sanctuary was decorated with the preserved Sacred Heart of Jesus. The cartoon portrays the theme rather traditionally, and differs a lot in its colouring and detail from the final version of the stained glass in Berčiūnai. The usual white clothing of Christ was replaced by a green tunic with a typical Lithuanian pattern and tied with a sash. The figures of angels kneeling on both sides of the Saviour were replaced by a view of Rome on one side and a Lithuanian landscape with recognisable architectural features on the other. The Lithuanian heraldic symbols on the outside of the composition are supplemented by figures of St Casimir, St George, St John Bosco, St Thérese of the Child Jesus, St Anthony, and other important figures in Lithuania at that time. A portrayal of Our Lady of the Gates of Dawn is at the top, and below Christ’s feet is a picture that appeals to Lithuanian peasants, St Isidore the Farmer.

Text author Dalia Vasiliūnienė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album HEAVEN AND BEYOND (2016). Compiler Dalia Vasiliūnienė. Text authors Dalia Vasiliūnienė, Skaidrė Urbonienė
Expositions: “The Voice of Lithuania during the Cold War”, 5 June – 5 October 2024, Church Heritage Museum (Šv. Mykolo St. 9, Vilnius). Curator Giedrė Jankevičiūtė. “Heaven and Beyond. Works of religious art from the collection of Rolandas Valiūnas and the law firm Valiunas Ellex“, 31 May–24 September 2016, Church Heritage Museum, Vilnius (curators Dalia Vasiliūnienė, Skaidrė Urbonienė)