Švobiškis Evangelical Reformed Church

In 1606 Upyte County szlachta (noble) Martynas Švoba founded an evangelical reformed parish and donated it a namesake manor by the river Mūša. In the beginning of the 17th century, priest P. Jašinskas wrote: "In 1616 Švobiškis town burned down and the clergy buildings together with it. The clergy and its other buildings were rebuilt but not very conveniently. The church and the school were almost abandonned. <…> Out of more than 100 parish farms, only half was left in evengelicals' property." After the death of Puzinas, Švobiškis land was passed to Lithuanian Evangelical Reformed Synod. A priest was assigned to the village of Boručėnai (Stipinai) and to the town (80 ha in total). Švobiškiai manor with the town, villages of Daniūnai, Narteikiai, Nereikoniai, Šiukštoniai bei Židoniai stayed under the jurisdiction of the Synod. In 1785 the Synod gave 3000 Lithuanian auksinas to build a brick church in Švobiškis. The construction works lasted in 1787–1789. The church was consacrated after the end of the construction on 11 October 1789. In 1797 priest Gabrielius Balčiauskas was appointed to Švobiškis parish and high status guests from abroad started to pay visits. Priest G. Balčiauskas took care to roof the church in clay tiles. Priest G. Balčiauskas was succeeded by priest Aleksandras Paškevičius who served for 17 years. Under his supervision a clergy was built in 1845 and the old one, constructed under priest Adomas Močulskis, was refurbished into a parish school and a flat for the organist. Under priest Konstantinas Jungas the church yard was fenced in with a stone wall. Under the priesthood of Jonas Šepetys the church interior was renovated and fancily decorated, the windows were repaired and fitted with stained glass. After the war, in 1918, general senior priest Vilius Meškauskas returned from Russia to live in Švobiškis. On his initiative, in 1919, the first Evangelical Reformed Synod Of Independent Lithuania was called. In 1930, the spiritual life in the parish livened up, a youth association was set up under the name Švobiškis Evangelical Youth Association. Nowadays Švobiškis Evangelical Reformed Parish isn't as numerous as it used to be. But it isn’t the smallest one among its other brothers and sisters in God. The parish sends their delegates to yearly Synod meetings, the parishers take care of their church and keep its surroundings in order. Even if the old generation of parishers is dying out, there are still religious celebrations in Švobiškis: Sacraments of Baptism, Lord's Supper and Matrimony, Proclamations of Lord's blessed Gospel.