Salamiestis Church of St. Anthony of Padua

The Church of St. Anthony of Padua is located in Kupiškis district, in Salamiestis town. The church was built of stones in 1820. The first Catholic church or chapel in Salamiestis was built in 1690. A small thatched church is mentioned in 1732. Metrical books started to be written, the church became a filial church of the Vabalninkas parish and had a permanent priest since 1798. The current masonry church was built in the concern of the priest Mykolas Dirvianskis and funded by Countess Konstancija Morikonienė and parishioners from 1815 to 1820. Antanas Vasiliauskas built the cemetery fence and the belfry in 1868. The organ was installed in 1889. The great altar was built in 1891. The church was painted and the new ceiling was installed in 1904. During the First World War, 3 bells were taken to Russia. THe bell, made in the concern of pastor J. Kirna in 1924, disappeared during the Second World War. The roof of the church was covered with tin and a new turret was built in 1925. In the concern of pastor Kazimieras Pukenis the interior of the church was repainted in 1938. Salamiestis became a parish after the Second World War. The church is of Classicism style, has a rectangular plan (26 x 12.6 m) with a semicircular apse and is aisleless. There are 3 altars inside. The tall gate of the churchyard fence has 3 holes for little bells.