One of the most beautiful Baroque works in Vilnius, the Church of the Ascension of the Lord (Missionaries) will be revived with the efforts of the Vilnius Archdiocese. "Recently, the issue of Missionary Hill, which has been loudly heard in society, drew attention to the painful truth that the expropriated Church buildings were often returned to it in a deplorable condition, so huge investments are needed so that they can once again be a decoration of the city's face, not its wound," says the Vilnius Archdiocese. economist Mykolas Juozapavičius.
M. Juozapavičius says that while looking for ways to preserve the Missionary Church, the way to resurrect the ensemble was chosen, adapting the buildings of the former monastery for hotel activities, and the church spaces for conferences, concerts, cultural and pastoral events. In this way, these unique baroque spaces will open again to the people of Vilnius and the guests of the city. We are looking for ways to resurrect the Missionary Ensemble, as the state's ability to contribute to the preservation of the heritage damaged during the Soviet era is limited.
After the implementation of the Vilnius Missionary Monastery ensemble project, one of the most significant silhouettes of Vilnius will be revived. The hotel built in the monastery buildings will accommodate not only pilgrims from all over the world discovering the City of Mercy, but also tourists, entrepreneurs. Pastoral and cultural events will take place here events. The plot will be arranged, the old system of paths and passages will be restored and supplemented.
After resurrecting the Missionary Ensemble from the threatened decay, the masterpiece of baroque architecture - the Church of the Ascension of the Lord - will add to the list of tourist attractions that have made Vilnius a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After the investment in revitalizing the Missionary Ensemble pays off, the income generated by the hotel will be one of the sources that will help develop the pastoral and social projects of the Vilnius Archdiocese and continue the heritage renewal works in other objects.
The Archdiocese of Vilnius will carry out work in the Missionary Monastery ensemble recovered through restitution and on the plot of land formed for it, which does not include the territory of the Missionary Gardens, where a hospital was built during the Soviet era.
"The ensemble of the Missionary Monastery, like the Vilnius St. Stephen's, Visitation and many other churches were expropriated by the occupation authorities and returned to the Church after Lithuania regained its independence. Unfortunately, the condition of many returned objects after the occupation period was depreciable. Nevertheless, ways are constantly being sought to revive this religious and cultural heritage", says Mykolas Juozapavičius, the economist of the Vilnius Archdiocese.
