Medal to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Christianity in Lithuania

The 600th anniversary of the Christianisation of Lithuania was marked quietly in 1987 in Soviet-occupied Lithuania, while in the United States it was celebrated freely and with great ceremony. Alongside numerous events, efforts were made to create lasting commemorative symbols. At the initiative of the Jubilee Committee headed by Bishop Paulius Baltakis, the Vatican issued three special postage stamps, featuring Christ in Distress from the Lithuanian Chapel in St Peter’s Basilica, a folk statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, and a pillar shrine representing Lithuania’s crosscrafting tradition; while Vytautas Kašuba designed a medal for the occasion. The profiles of Mindaugas, Jogaila and Vytautas depict these strong-willed rulers determined to take Lithuania into Christian Europe. The portrayal reflects the gradual process of Lithuania’s Christianisation, showing the role of these important historical figures. Mindaugas, the unifier and first ruler of Lithuania, was baptised in 1251, marking the first step. The second step was in 1387, when the Lithuanian nobility accepted Christianity after the example of King Jogaila of Poland, followed by the townspeople and the wider population. This was formally recognised by Pope Urban VI in 1388. The final date of 1413 marks the campaign for the Christianisation of Samogitia waged by Vytautas and Jogaila.

Text author Laura Petrauskaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album ARTISTS ON THE MOVE (2025). Compiler and text author Laura Petrauskaitė

The 600th anniversary of the Christianisation of Lithuania was marked quietly in 1987 in Soviet-occupied Lithuania, while in the United States it was celebrated freely and with great ceremony. Alongside numerous events, efforts were made to create lasting commemorative symbols. At the initiative of the Jubilee Committee headed by Bishop Paulius Baltakis, the Vatican issued three special postage stamps, featuring Christ in Distress from the Lithuanian Chapel in St Peter’s Basilica, a folk statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, and a pillar shrine representing Lithuania’s crosscrafting tradition; while Vytautas Kašuba designed a medal for the occasion. The profiles of Mindaugas, Jogaila and Vytautas depict these strong-willed rulers determined to take Lithuania into Christian Europe. The portrayal reflects the gradual process of Lithuania’s Christianisation, showing the role of these important historical figures. Mindaugas, the unifier and first ruler of Lithuania, was baptised in 1251, marking the first step. The second step was in 1387, when the Lithuanian nobility accepted Christianity after the example of King Jogaila of Poland, followed by the townspeople and the wider population. This was formally recognised by Pope Urban VI in 1388. The final date of 1413 marks the campaign for the Christianisation of Samogitia waged by Vytautas and Jogaila.

Text author Laura Petrauskaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album ARTISTS ON THE MOVE (2025). Compiler and text author Laura Petrauskaitė