
Kirdeikiai wooden church of St John the Baptist is located on the south-western shore of Lake Pakasas, 30 km from Švenčionys and 14 km from Ignalina in Utena district. Kirdeikiai (29 homesteads) was mentioned in the inventory of Linkmenai manor, dating back to 1554. In 1732 the number of homesteads was 10, while in 1866 — 34 with 241 residents. Linkmenai town was also divided by a dividing line with Poland. In 1920 a part of Linkmenai parish with the entire church remained on the territory, occupied by Poland. In 1925 the occupant authorities brought Juozas Breiva, the pastor or Linkmenai, to court for Lithuanian cultural activity. He escaped to Kirdeikiai ant started making arrangements for the construction of the church. In 1925 Linkmenai priest Juozas Breiva brought the register of births, marriages and deaths, as well as liturgical books and began the constructions of the church and founded a new parish.
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The Lithuanian government allocated timber and 35 000 litas. The wooden church was built in 1926-1927 and consecrated by the bishop Juozapas Kukta in 1927. Kirdeikiai pastor Juozas Breiva promoted Lithuanian spirit and supported partisan movement (died in 1939 and was buried in the churchyard). Kirdeikiai was also the birthplace of Silvestras Gimžauskas (1844-1897), a priest, poet, figure of Lithuanian cultural revival and a member of the political-literary group Aušrininkai. The parish house of Silvestras Gimžausas was consecrated in 1936. The historicistic church features imitations of Gothic elements. There are three neo-Gothic altars, with the main one in the middle and two — on the sides. The altars and the pulpit were restored and decorated with a new layer of gilding in 2009. The ceremonial consecration of renewed altars took place on 15 August during the Feast of the Assumption, led by the dean of Molėtai K. Kazlauskas. The fence of the churchyard is built of stone foundation with columns, connected with metal openwork, made by the local blacksmith. The gate is also made of iron. One of the belfries features two bells. The large one — Benediktas — was cast in 1930 and named after Benediktas Paukštė, who donated funds for its making. The small one, featuring Latin inscriptions, was cast in the 18th c. The bell was named after the local figure Jonas Maciulevičius. Another small bell is located in a tower above the apse.