Exhibition for the Year of Motiejus Valančius

The Jesuit Library invites you to discover Motiejus Valančius as a Catholic shepherd, historian, and creator and disseminator of Lithuanian Catholic literature. Through his efforts, the distribution of religious, moral, and educational texts did not cease even during the period of the press ban, and the Lithuanian word reached both local communities and compatriots living in emigration.

The exhibition features three significant publications from the Lithuanian Jesuit Library collection. The most important is the first volume of the two-volume work "Žemaičių vyskupystė" (The Diocese of Samogitia), published in Vilnius in 1848, one of the first historical works written in the Lithuanian language. Also presented is "Istorija šventa Senojo ir Naujo Instatymo" (Holy History of the Old and New Testament), published in 1906 in Pennsylvania, USA, which testifies to the spread of Valančius' ideas among Lithuanian emigrants, and a counterfeit edition of the hymn book "Knyga giesmių, arba Kantičkos" (Book of Hymns, or Canticles), likely published in 1891 in Tilsit, reflecting the distribution of Lithuanian press under the conditions of the ban.

These publications not only present Valančius' work but also tell a broader history of Lithuanian culture, faith, and education. The exhibition is intended for everyone interested in Lithuanian culture – pupils, students, teachers, researchers, and every curious visitor.

We invite you to visit, see unique historical publications up close, and get acquainted with the treasures preserved in the Lithuanian Jesuit Library collection.

Lojoteka opening hours: https://www.vjg.lt/lojoteka/kontaktai