The way of St. James

THE WAY OF ST. JAMES IN LITHUANIA –

On 23 October 1987, the Council of Europe published the Santiago de Compostela Declaration by declaring the Way of St. James and its branches in the entire Europe as the first road of the European culture. The principal message is the fact that Europe is not just a political and economic project, but, first and foremost, a union based on values and community acting on the basis of the Christian roots of Europe. A map attached to the declaration also involved Lithuania in which two branches belonging to the Way of St. James were marked.

In the summer of 2012, the book “The Light of St. James’ Way” was published in Lithuanian and English languages, including the photos of St. James’ Churches. The compiler of the book was Dr. Laima Andrikienė.

Dr. Laima Andrikienė began “paving” the ways of St. James in Lithuania too. The Archbishop-Metropolitan Gintaras Grušas became the patron of the entire large project.

Molėtai District is crossed by two branches belonging to the Way of St. James.

The Way of St. James of Vilnius. Length of the Way: 493 km. Stations: Skaistkalne (Latvia) > Biržai > Pasvalys > Panevėžys > Anykščiai > Alanta > Molėtai >Joniškis > Dubingiai > Giedraičiai > Paberžė > Vilnius > Trakai > Onuškis > Alytus > Merkinė > Liškiava > Druskininkai > Veisiejai > Ogrodniki (Poland).

The inland way – the roundabout of the Way of St. James, connecting all 11 churches of St. James in Lithuania (in Vilnius, Švėkšna/Šilutė District, Onuškis/Trakai District, Žiežmariai/Kaišiadorys District, Jonava, Suvainiškis/Rokiškis District, Punia/Alytus District, Kurtuvėnai/Šiauliai District, Alanta /Molėtai District, Joniškis/Molėtai District, Rudiškiai/Joniškis District).