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Pilgrimage excursion of the Lithuanian Exarch to Kaunastranslated

July 6, 2026 · 1 min read

The one-day pilgrimage of the Patriarchal Exarch of Lithuania to the historic city of Kaunas took place with particular success on Saturday, July 4, gathering believers from Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda. The first stop of the pilgrimage was the historic Holy Monastery of Panagia Pazaislis, one of the most important spiritual and architectural monuments of Lithuania. In front of the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, the sequence of the Akathistos Hymn and the Invocation to the Most Holy Theotokos were performed with enthusiasm. Hymns and prayers were recited in Greek, Lithuanian, Ukrainian and Church Slavonic, expressing in a touching way the unity of Orthodoxy through the diversity of languages and traditions.

This was followed by a guided tour of the historic Monastery, during which the pilgrims had the opportunity to learn about the rich history and its special spiritual significance for the place.

Then the mission went to the historical center of Kaunas, where a visit was made to the imposing Church of the Resurrection of Christ and its impressive bell tower, from which the pilgrims enjoyed the panoramic view...

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (5) 🌐 Show original

Emily Brown

Sounds like a lovely day. I especially liked that they sang the Akathist in four languages right there in front of the icon — Greek, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and Slavonic all together. It really shows how Orthodoxy can hold everyone in one place without forcing everyone to be the same. Did anyone mention how old the Pazaislis monastery actually is?

Laurent Moreau

It was beautiful to read that the Akathist was sung in four languages in front of the miraculous icon. It makes me think of our little parish in Marseille where we sometimes mix Greek and French, and in the end everyone feels at home. Does anyone have photos of Pažaislis Monastery?

Галина Зайцева

It’s good that in Kaunas the Akathist was sung in front of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. In Krasnodar, we also often sing in different languages at holidays, when guests from Ukraine or Belarus come, and it always turns out to be soulful. It’s a pity that there are no photos in the article; it would be interesting to look at this panorama from the bell tower.

Илья Фёдоров

I agree, the singing of the Akathist in front of the miraculous icon is always especially touching. In our Novosibirsk choir we also sometimes sing in several languages when we have guests - it comes out lively and businesslike. And from the bell tower in Kaunas, they say, the whole old city is in full view, it’s a pity that the photo was not posted.

Анастасия Воробьёва

I agree, in front of the miraculous icon the Akathist sounds completely different, as if closer. In Samara, we also sometimes sing in two languages in our parish when guests from Belarus arrive. Is it really possible to see the entire old city from that bell tower in Kaunas? It's a pity that there are no photos, it would be interesting to see.