Scholars will survey the cathedral to identify buried leaders and test hypotheses about Grand Duke Vytautas, sparking regional debate over historical memory.
The Government of Lithuania has entrusted the Ministry of Culture with developing a concept for a pantheon of prominent Lithuanian figures that is planned to be located in Vilnius Cathedral. This information was released by the Lithuanian publication LRT, noting that the initiative envisions creating a pantheon within the cathedral.
“entrusted the Ministry of Culture with creating within the cathedral a pantheon of Lithuania’s prominent state figures”
– LRT
The Government of Lithuania approved a plan for comprehensive scientific research at Vilnius Cathedral for a more thorough examination and to test hypotheses about the burial place of Grand Duke Vytautas the Great. Among other things, the plan aims to compile a complete picture of exactly which figures from Lithuanian history are buried in the cathedral.
“The study of the cathedral basilica will contribute to scientifically grounded knowledge of Lithuanian history. We will be better able to combat misinformation spread by unfriendly states, distortions, downplaying, and falsification of Lithuania’s history.”
– Ingrida Kutkienė
Burials in the Cathedral and the Historical Context
Among those buried in Vilnius Cathedral are, among others, Casimir the Saint, Grand Duke of Lithuania; Alexander Jagiellon – Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland; Barbara Radziwiłł of the renowned Radziwiłł family; and other figures from the period of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later eras.
The cathedral, located in the center of Cathedral Square in the capital, has endured numerous destructions due to fires and wars, but certain parts of the building and burials have survived from the late Middle Ages, Lithuanian media note.
The history of Lithuania in the late Middle Ages and later periods is closely connected with the history of Poland, Belarus and Ukraine, including parts of Kyiv, which at various times were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
A recent announcement by the Ukrainian authorities about creating a pantheon of prominent Ukrainians elicited sharp reactions in Poland, where the decision was criticized by the president’s chancellery and other Polish representatives.
On June 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill on the creation of the National Pantheon as an urgent measure. According to the president, such a Pantheon should honor Ukrainians who “in various centuries and eras fought for Ukraine, inspired Ukraine.” At the same time, Zelensky noted, “no one and never will tell us how to live, what to say, whom to love, whom to be grateful to, and which heroes to honor.”
“no one and never will tell us how to live, what to say, whom to love, whom to be grateful to, and which heroes to honor.”
– Volodymyr Zelensky
According to the Ukrainian government’s decision, the National Pantheon of prominent Ukrainians should be located on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
In this context, both initiatives underscore a commitment to preserving the historical memory of nations and are aimed at a deeper understanding of the past, taking into account contemporary political realities and intergovernmental debates.