Coat of Arms - Church of St. Peter and St. Paul - Vilnius, Lithuania
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Marine Biologist
N 54° 41.639 E 025° 18.350
35U E 390808 N 6062056
This coat of arms is on the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, a Roman Catholic church in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Waymark Code: WMPGH6
Location: Lithuania
Date Posted: 08/28/2015
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Dorcadion Team
Views: 3

A historical marker at the church provides text in Lithuanian and English. The English text reads:

"A pearl of Lithuanian Baroque, this is the most splendid example of the style. It was built during 1668-1674, and the interior took another 30 years. The founder of the church, Grand Hetman M. K. Pacas, encapsulated himself in Latin on the facade: Regina Pacis funda nos in pace (Queen of Peace, strengthen us in peace). The coat of arms of the Pacas family is above the entrance. The interior was decorated by the Italians P. Perti and G. M. Galli, who created a harmonious synthesis of architecture, sculpture and art: about 2,000 figures are arranged according to the principle of the world as a theatre. Behind the altar is a picture of Saints Peter and Paul by the famous artist P. Smuglevicius."

The following additional information is from Wikipedia:

"St. Peter and St. Paul's Church (Lithuanian: Šv. apaštalu Petro ir Povilo bažnycia, Polish: Kosciól sw. Piotra i Pawla na Antokolu) is a Roman Catholic church located in the Antakalnis neighbourhood of Vilnius, Lithuania. It is the centerpiece of a former monastery complex of the Canons Regular of the Lateran. Its interior has masterful compositions of some 2,000 stucco figures by Giovanni Pietro Perti and ornamentation by Giovanni Maria Galli and is unique in Europe. The church is considered a masterpiece of Lithuanian Baroque.

Architecture

Exterior

The church is located on a small hill near the Neris River and the former main road to Nemencine. It is part of a monastery complex that occupies approximately 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres). The churchyard is surrounded by a thick 4–5 m (13–16 ft) high brick wall that has four small octagonal chapels. The churchyard used to have a small cemetery, but it was demolished in the 19th century. The church is a 17th-century basilica with a traditional cross floor plan and a dome with a lantern allowing extra light into its white interior. However, the dome is lowered and is visible only from a distance. The exterior was copied from the parish church of Tarlów, built in 1645–55 and most likely designed by the same architect Jan Zaor. The facade is of heavy proportions. It is divided by a prominent balcony, freestanding columns (used for the first time in Lithuanian ecclesiastical architecture), windows, and cornices. The central facade is framed by two bell towers that are circular at the bottom and octagonal at the top. Two brass bells, 60 cm (24 in) and 37 cm (15 in) in height, survive from 1668.

The double broken pediment has a relief of Mary standing on a cannon, flags, and other military attributes. Below the relief, Latin inscription reads REGINA PACIS FUNDA NOS IN PACE (Queen of Peace, protect us in peace) and reflects the intentions of the founder Pac and is a word play on his last name. Further below is the main portal. Surrounded by two puttos holding papal tiara (symbol of Saint Peter) and a sword (symbol of Saint Paul), there is a large cartouche with Pac's coat of arms Gosdawa. Two terracotta sculptures depicting Saint Augustine (patron saint of Canons Regular of the Lateran) and Stanislaw Kazimierczyk (Polish member of Canons Regular) were created in 1674. They measure 2.05 metres (6 ft 9 in) in height. There were many more sculptures on the front and back of the church, but they did not survive. The facade was also decorated with a 172 cm × 237 cm (68 in × 93 in) painting depicting Virgin of Mercy protecting people from the plague of 1710 in Vilnius. Imagery of Mary holding broken arrows of god's wrath was borrowed from the painting of Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy that hangs inside the church. Created in 1761, it was restored at least five times and lost its original features. After the last restoration in 2000, it was moved inside the church."

Bearer of Coat of Arms: Noble (aristocratic) family

Full name of the bearer: Pacowie (or Pac Family) - their coat of arms was Gozdawa

Where is Coat of Arms installed (short description) ?:
Above the main portal of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul.


Material / Design: Stone

Blazon (heraldic description):
For each herb [clan shield, coat of arms] the blazon or verbal description of the arms is first given in authentic heraldic style, followed by a translation from the Polish description by Niesiecki. The right and left sides of a shield are identified from the standpoint of the bearer, i. e., the one holding the shield. His right would be your left and vice versa. The tinctures (colors) in heraldry are as follows: azure = blue, gules = red; sable = black; or = gold, argent = silver; vert = green. In heraldry all charges (pictures) on a shield are assumed to be facing dexter (right side) unless otherwise specified. In Polish heraldry all animals or birds are assumed to be in their natural coloring unless otherwise specified. Gules: two fleurs-de-lis addorsed in pale argent, conjoined and banded in a fess or. Out of a crest coronet a panaché of peacock plumes proper charged with the device of the shield. There should be two lilies, one upward, one downward, joined at the roots in such a manner that they seem to be a single lily; they are white in a red field, and the place where they join is yellow, although not all use the arms in that form. On the helmet are peacock feathers, and on them the same lilies. From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gozdawa_coat_of_arms


Address:
Antakalnio g. 1 Vilnius, Lithuania 10312


Web page about the structure where is Coat of Arms installed (if exists): [Web Link]

Web page about the bearer of Coat of Arms (if exists): [Web Link]

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