St. Francis Xavier Jesuit Church, Kaunas

  
LITHUANIA , 1930, Scott C43-C44

The Jesuits began in Kaunas in 1642 with a residence that was to become a college. The church, dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, was completed in 1759, confiscated in 1773, and turned over to the Orthodox by the Russian government in 1824. The college housed a library, archives, and finally the Orthodox bishop. In 1923, after 150 years of absence, the Jesuits returned to Kaunas and regained their former buildings. The generosity of Pius XI made it possible to reopen the college. In the above airmail stamps the twin towers of the church may be seen under the tail of the airplane. The church is on the south side of the main square, the Town Hall's towering facade can be seen to the church's right. When the Russians invaded during World War II, the church and college were seized for secular usage. More

The Church of St. Casimir, Vilnius

LITHUANIA, 2005, the Jesuit Church of St. Casimir in Vilnius, Scott 797

Jesuits began construction of this church in 1604; it was finished and consecrated in 1635. But it was burned down in 1655 and again in 1707 and 1749. The Jesuit architect and astronomer Tomas Žebrauskas (1714–1758), headed the reconstruction of the church in 1749-55. His work can be seen in the graded cupola and the main altar. When the Society of Jesus was suppressed in 1773, the church was given to the Augustinians, and in time passed to the Orthodox. It was returned to the Roman Catholic community in 1988, was retored, and in 1991 reconsecrated, and the Jesuits again work there. More

The University of Vilnius

   
CENTRAL LITHUANIA, 1920-22, university buildings and the insignia of its rector, Scott J1 and 27 respectively
Central Lithuania was a area around Vilnius seized by the Poles in 1920 and absorbed into Poland in 1922, but returned to Lithuania in 1939.

Vilnius had its college and library as early as 1570, which became a university 1579. It was under Jesuit direction until the Suppression in 1773. Vilnius University itself survived the Suppression, was closed by the Russians in 1832, and brought back to life in 1919.

 
RUSSIA, 1970, the 4th centenary of the Library of Vilnius University (9 years older than the University), Scott 3772
RUSSIA, 1979, the 4th centenary of the university, Scott 4731

 
LITHUANIA, 1997, Christmas, Scott 589
LITHUANIA, 1999, 400th anniversary of the publication of Postilei, from souvenir sheet, Scott 621

 
LITHUANIA, 2004, the 425th anniversary, featuring King Stephen Bathory, the traditional founder
and Father Peter Skarga, SJ, the first rector, Scott 765
LITHUANIA, 2005, the sesquicentennial of the Lithuanian National Museum, Scott 792b
this stamp features the first exposition in the aula hall of Vilnius University.
The room where antique books are kept was the dining room for the Jesuit community
and a painting of Our Lady Queen of the Society can be seen on the ceiling of the room

 
LITHUANIA, 2006, the millenium of Lithuania. The first stamp on the Souvenir Sheet honors Vilnius University, founded 1579, Scott 816.

RUSSIA, 1979, postal stationary - envelope, for the 4th centenary of Vilnius University

  
The university image on this last stamp is also on the 100 litu bank notes of 1991 and 2000 (Pick 50 and 62)
and on two 2004 Lithuanian coins to honor its 425th anniversary, a one litas copper-nickel coin [KM 137] and a fifty litu silver coin [KM 138]

courtesy of Don's World Coin Gallery

The Poczobut Astronomical Observatory, Vilnius

LITHUANIA, 2003, 250th anniversary of the Observatory, Scott 745

 
CENTRAL LITHUANIA, 1921, Scott 40

Poczobut Observatory, located on top of the main Vilnius University building, was founded in 1753 by the Jesuit astronomer and architect Tomas Zebrauskas (1714-1758). It was the fourth observatory in Europe and the oldest in Eastern Europe (and the first observatory to appear on a stamp). It was named for another Jesuit astronomer, Marcin Poczobut-Odlanicki (1728-1810), who entered the Society in 1745 until the Suppression of the Society in 1773. He became director of the observatory in 1764 and continued to serve as its director for the next 44 years.

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