Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Vilnius, Gothic church in Old Town, Lithuania
The Divine Mercy Sanctuary is a Gothic brick church in the Old Town of Vilnius, with two towers that mix Gothic and Baroque features. The building has a rectangular plan and red brick walls that give it a solid, grounded look from the street.
The church was built in the 15th century under the name of the Holy Trinity and later handed over to the Dominicans. After serious fire damage, work in the 18th century added the towers and rebuilt the chancel, giving the building much of its current form.
The sanctuary is closely tied to the image of Divine Mercy painted by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski in 1934, which now hangs in the chapel and draws pilgrims every day. Visitors often light candles and pray quietly in front of it, making this one of the more active devotional sites in the city.
The sanctuary is on Dominikonų Street in the Old Town and can be reached on foot from most central points in the city. Visiting outside of main service times gives more space to look around calmly, as the church can fill with worshippers during daily prayers.
The original Divine Mercy painting was created here in Vilnius in 1934, commissioned by Sister Faustina Kowalska who wanted a physical image of the vision she described in her diary. Many visitors do not realize that this city, not Krakow, is where the painting was first made and where it still hangs today.
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