The first wooden church of St. Peter…

The first wooden church of St. Peter and St. Paul n the Antakalnis neighborhood of Old Vilnius is believed to have been built after the conversion of Jogaila from polytheism.

Rebuilt at the end of fifteenth century, it was destroyed by a fire in 1594.

Another wooden church was built between 1609-1616, but it also was destroyed during the wars with Russia in 1655-1661.

The construction works of the present church, a basilica built on a traditional cross plan with a lantern dome allowing extra light into its white interior, had begun in 1668 under the supervision of Jan Zaor from Kraków, paid for by the Great Lithuanian Hetman Michał Kazimierz Pac in celebration of the victory against the Russians and the suppression of Lubomirski's Rokosz.

The Latin inscription on the main façade, REGINA PACIS FUNDA NOS IN PACE (Queen of Peace, protect us in peace) corresponds with the intention, as well as with the founder's name Pac.

Pac, who will die in 1682, demands to be buried beneath the doorstep of the main entrance with the inscription "Hic Jacet Pecator" (Here Lies a Sinner) on his tombstone, which will eventually be split by a lightning strike; it is todays et in the wall to the right of the main portal.

A large Turkish war drum (timpano) on display in the church had been taken from the Ottomans in the Battle of Khotyn of November 11, 1673, won by the Commonwealth forces, and granted to the church by Hetman Pac.

The church, today considered to be one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Lithuania, is finished in 1676 by Giambattista Frediani.

Due to the founder’s death in 1682, work on the decorations will be terminated in 1684, preventing the creation of the main altar according to the original design.

The decorations will not be finally completed until 1704.