Suostas’ Holy Cross Adoration Church of Panevėžys’ Diocese

About object:

The history of churches of Suostas village, located just 8 km from the Latvian border, has been accompanied by continual fires. After the last blaze during which the church burnt in 2001, in three-year time, by the decision of congregation, a modest house of worship funded by the parish and sponsors has risen on the site replacing the burnt wooden church.

The building has a clear and brief form, span roof and slightly asymmetric dimensional volume. According to the project author, the architectural expression of the building and building materials used were conditioned by locally dominant building traditions of Catholic and Lutheran churches. Significant impact on the development of this sacral building has also had the extant gates of Neo-Renaissanse stone fence and fragments of red brick surrounding the chancel. The main entrance to the church is formed non-traditionally – it is shifted to the side of the facade instead of being set in its central part. However, this unusual asymmetry is stabilized by the neat porch which highlights the entrance and grows into two-tower vertical blending harmoniously into an openwork composition with the fence gate.

I. Garnytė- Sapranavičienė