To mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, the Church Heritage Museum presents a unique memorial artifact – the historic organ parts from Kabeliai Church, linked to the Čiurlionis family.

This organ holds exceptional historical value. Research suggests that it originally stood in the old church of Ratnyčia, where, in 1876–1877, M. K. Čiurlionis’ father, Konstantinas Čiurlionis, served as the organist. When a new church was being built in Ratnyčia, the old one was dismantled and, in 1909, together with all its interior elements – including the organ – was relocated to the town of Kabeliai, 20 kilometers away. The wooden church, representative of folk architecture, still stands in Kabeliai today.

Ratnyčia, now part of the Druskininkai district, has a history that dates back to 1589 – earlier than that of Druskininkai itself. The town's name derives from the Ratnyčėlė stream. Around 1650, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania’s Vice-Chancellor Kazimieras Leonas Sapiega founded the first church there, which was served by Jesuits based in Merkinė. In the 19th century, Ratnyčia saw the establishment of its first mineral water sanatoriums (1838) and summer residences for holidaymakers, but further development was halted by a devastating flood in 1841. The current brick church of St. Bartholomew the Apostle – the fourth Catholic church in Ratnyčia – was built between 1905 and 1910 by priest Pranas Bernotas, a passionate Lithuanian patriot and a friend of the Čiurlionis family.

In 2020, art historian Aušra Česnulevičienė discovered parts of the old Ratnyčia organ in the attic of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kabeliai. In 2023, the components were transferred to the Church Heritage Museum for safekeeping, and in 2024, they were officially listed in the Register of Cultural Property by order of the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania due to their historical and artistic significance.

Starting in May 2025, the Church Heritage Museum will exhibit the original organ parts – the console, bellows, and pipes. This rare artifact not only preserves a tangible link to M. K. Čiurlionis’ family but also holds cultural heritage value on a national scale. The exhibition will provide insight into Čiurlionis’ childhood environment, the histories of the towns of Ratnyčia and Kabeliai, and allow visitors to hear the sound of organ music that the young Čiurlionis himself might have heard.

The exhibition-installation “Harmony of the Spheres”, created by composer Gintaras Sodeika, will be accompanied by cultural events including lectures, educational activities, and a concert. This audiovisual experience will invite visitors to connect emotionally with the world of Čiurlionis’ early years and symbolically bridge the past and the present.

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EVENT INFORMATION

Dates: May 28, 2025 – January 10, 2026

Venue: Church Heritage Museum

Address: Šv. Mykolo St. 9, Vilnius

More: HERE

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ORGANIZER

Church Heritage Museum

Contact: muziejus@bpmuziejus.lt/ +370 5 269 7803

Program

Exhibition "Čiurlionis: The Family and the Organ" at the Birthday celebration

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