Žemaičių Kalvarija

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Žemaičių Kalvarija
coat of arms
coat of arms
State : Lithuania Lithuania
District : Telšiai
Rajong municipality : Plungė
Coordinates : 56 ° 6 ′  N , 22 ° 0 ′  E Coordinates: 56 ° 6 ′  N , 22 ° 0 ′  E
 
Inhabitants (place) : 696 (2011)
Time zone : EET (UTC + 2)
 
Status: Town, center of
an administrative district
Žemaičių Kalvarija (Lithuania)
Žemaičių Kalvarija
Žemaičių Kalvarija

Žemaičių Kalvarija is a small town ( miestelis ) and the center of the eponymous administrative district ( seniūnija ) of the Rajongemeinde Plungė in the Lower Lithuania region in western Lithuania . It is a Catholic pilgrimage center .

Every July there is a big church festival in Žemaičių Kalvarija (Big Church Festival of Žemaičių Kalvarija). This attracts many tourists from all over Lithuania and other countries.

There are several important Catholic churches of Lithuania in the city.

History of the name

The place is mentioned as a guard in 1253 . In the 17th century when the main church and the Street of the Cross were being built, people called it New Jerusalem . Later the city was called Kalvarija ; after the name of the mountain on which Jesus was crucified. In the 20th century , the city was renamed Žemaičių Kalvarija , as there is another city in southwest Lithuania called Kalvarija .

Between 1964 and 1989, during the time of the Soviet occupation, the city was renamed Varduva . In 1989 the town got its historical name Žemaičių Kalvarija again .

The Great Church Festival of Žemaičių Kalvarija

The Great Church Festival of Žemaičių Kalvarija ( Lithuanian : Didieji Žemaičių Kalvarijos atlaidai ) takes place every July . The festival has its origins in 1742. There are 21 stations of the Cross in the city , which pilgrims visit.

During the festival, a few days are devoted to youth , for which special masses are held in the pilgrimage basilica of the Visitation .

The festival mainly attracts tourists from Lower Lithuania . Many Catholic churches in the country organize pilgrimages for this. Since 2004, the festival has been attended by many tourists and pilgrims from the EU , especially from Poland , Ireland , Germany and Spain .

people

Web links

Commons : Žemaičių Kalvarija  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files