The Lourdes

The rebuilt and consecrated chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes is located near the church on M. Valančiaus g. 2 (at the main entrance to the churchyard).
World War II, which commenced on 22 June 1941, soon reached the small town of Šilalė as well. On Sunday, 29 June, the priest Jonas Kučinskas, who worked in Šilalė at that time (there were three of them: the parson Mykolas Juodokas, Viskantas and Jonas Kučinskas) told the people that had gathered for the mass: ‘That horrible night of war, we, the three priests working in Šilalė, hid in the basement, praying for the Blessed Virgin Mary to protect our church, promising to build a chapel for Our Lady of Lourdes.’ And thus, the chapel had been built of stones the same year. It stood there for more than a decade and people used to pray there all the time. After the war it was demolished and the statue of Mary was brought to one of the naves of Šilalė Church of St Francis of Assisi.
The nearly two-metre statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, currently standing at the Lourdes, weighs 1200 kg. On the left side there is a plate, saying: ‘The chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes, demolished after the war, was rebuilt in Šilalė in 2014, for the celebration of the 600th anniversary of the Christianisation of Samogitia.’ On the right side there is the coat of arms to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Christianisation. The words above say: ‘Hail Mary, full of grace’.

Compiled in 2018