Laižuvos Švč. Trejybės bažnyčios šventorius, kapinės, varpinė ir varpai 1676-2022 m.

LTStraipsnyje, remiantis pirminiais rašytiniais šaltiniais ir natūriniais tyrimais, nagrinėjami Laižuvos Švč. Trejybės bažnyčios šventoriaus, kapinių, varpinės ir varpų istoriniai pokyčiai bei juos įėmusios priežastys. Pateikiami duomenys apie dabartinį šventorių, kapines, varpinę ir varpus, juos pagaminusius liejikus. Remiantis tyrimų metu surinkta medžiaga ir analogais, analizuojami buvę varpinės tipai ir galimybės atstatyti senąjį jos pastatę. Reikšminiai žodžiai: šventorius, kapinės, varpinė, varpai, Georgijus Bernhardas Kinderis, Pelagija Ivanovna Usačiova. [Iš leidinio]

ENA chapel was built in Laižuva in 1635 or 1636. It was enlarged in 1661 and made into a parish church. A new church in the shape of cross was erected in 1773, but burned down in 1884. A new brick church was built in 1892. That was blown up in 1944. Today, the faithful of Laižuva worship in a former ancillary building. There is a mention in 1725 of a new wooden bell tower standing in the churchyard. It was of a closed-type design. In 1820, a two-tier stone bell tower with a composite space and a turret was built. The first level was a gateway, while the bells were on the second level. The first level of the structure was made into a mortuary in either 1850 or 1884-1892. After the brick church was built, the bells were moved to a tower in it. The former bell tower was made into a warehouse when a collective farm was established. It was restored and the extant bells returned to their original place in 2021-2022. The project was carried out by UAB Senamiesčio projektai and funded by the Mažeikiai district council. There are enough historical records and parallels to enable the rebuilding of the second level, although there are no visual records. In 1883, the chapels of the Stations of the Cross were incorporated into the churchyard wall. Today there are 13, but they are in a state of disrepair. They were designed by Ustinas Golinevičius. The chapels are more typical of the Aukštaitija region. This may have been due to the influence of the parish priest Antanas Vienažindys, who was originally from Aukštaitija.They contain wooden sculptures made by a folk carver depicting Christ’s Passion. A single sculpture Jesus Carrying the Cross is extant. There were six bells at Laižuva prior to the church fire. A signalling tool that used to be suspended in the turret of the bell tower was donated by Kelertas, a landowner from Ežere (in the governorate of Courland). Only the big main bell, which was cast by B. G. Kinder in Konigsberg (in East Prussia) in 1729, was salvaged from the fire. It is the oldest known piece by this bell maker in Lithuania. It was donated by Jonas Kaubrovičius. Two new bells were made in Valdai (in Russia) in 1886. A third bell was cast in P.I. Usachev’s foundry in the same city in 1892 and donated by Antanas Milieška. During the First World War, the three bells were taken to the Russian hinterland and were never returned. A bell that hung over the sacristy door was made in Valdai. The first cemetery was in the churchyard. The second cemetery opened in 1826 a short distance from the church on land donated by Count Ketleris, the owner of Laižuva manor. The cemetery was expanded several times and enclosed by a stone wall. In the 19th century, a separate section in the cemetery was allocated for Orthodox burials. No headstones indicating burials have survived. The cemetery includes the graves of the priest and poet A. Vienažindys and the doctor of philosophy Professor Albinas Liaugminas. The churchyard, the bells of the former Laižuva church, and the tomb of the poet are inscribed on the Register of Lithuanian Cultural Heritage Values. [From the publication]