Church of the Virgin Mary Victorious

Founded through the Dominican presence at the nearby Paparciai monastery from 1649, the church grew from a chapel housing a miraculous Roman image into a full parish church built 1782-1790. The title 'Victorious' connects it to the post-Lepanto wave of Marian dedications across Catholic Europe.

The story begins with the Paparciai Dominican monastery, founded in 1649 by Stanislavas Beinartas. From this base, Dominicans served the surrounding communities, including Kazokiskes. Dominican friar Liudvikas Skickis brought a sacred image from Rome, one connected to the tradition of Our Lady of Victory that spread across Catholic Europe after the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

The image's reputation for miraculous healing grew quickly. A formal register of miracles was established in 1669, documenting healings of the blind and cures of the seriously ill. As pilgrims arrived in increasing numbers, the original chapel could no longer accommodate them. In 1680, accounts mention a copy of a painting associated with Our Lady of Naples or Saint Mary Major being brought to the church, though whether this is the same image or a separate work remains debated.

The current church was built between 1782 and 1790, designed by architect Augustus Kosakauskas in a style that bridges late Baroque and early Classicism. The new church gave the miraculous image a setting commensurate with its growing reputation.