The bells symbolizing historical events will be blessed in Trakai

On Sunday, the 16^th of July, at 12.00, in the church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Trakai, there will be the ceremony of the consecration of the altar and the blessing of two new bells on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the independence of the Lithuanian state and the 300^th anniversary of the painting of Our Lady of Trakai, the Patroness of Lithuania.

Both anniversaries will be celebrated next year. There have been three small bells in the church in Trakai so far.

“The church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Trakai has been renovated and changes are visible, so to speak, from foundations to roofs. Therefore, the consecration of the altar is planned. The renovation works have been done for many years. Virtually all the works have been completed, although the church tower is still being renovated, for example,” said father Jonas Varaneckas when talking to Radio Znad Wilii.

“Since the same year of 2018 is dedicated both to the celebrations of the 300^th anniversary of the coronation of the painting of Our Lady of Trokai and the 100^th anniversary of the independence of the Lithuanian state, two bells will be blessed. One of the bells weighs 470 kilograms, the other 700 kilograms. The bells were cast in the Foundry of Bells of the Kruszewski Brothers in Węgorzewo in Poland, “says father Varaneckas.

The priest also informed that the bells are currently on the way from Poland to Lithuania. “On Sunday, the bells will be blessed, and one will have possibility to touch it and to take pictures. The bells will not be installed on the belfry immediately, because we have to prepare ourselves to do so. The belfry is also being properly reconstructed,” says father Varaneckas.

On the bells, there will also be a text in Latin informing about the occasion of their blessing.

Sunday celebrations in Trakai, which will start at noon, will be an introduction to the jubilee celebrations of the 300^th anniversary of the coronation of the painting of Our Lady of Trokai, the Patroness of Lithuania. Formally, the jubilee year will start in September 2017. Sunday celebrations will begin at 12.00.