The Earliest Catholic Burial Sites in Medieval Vilnius

Archaeological and historical evidence suggests that Vilnius, Lithuania, had multiple early Catholic burial sites operating before the country's official conversion to Christianity. The study identifies potential locations for these cemeteries, including near the Church of St Anne in the Vilnius castles area, associated with the Church of St Nicholas in the Old Town, and around the parish Church of St John. Written records, such as Jogaila’s privilege of 1387, and archaeological findings, including human bone accumulations, support these claims. The research combines historical documentation with archaeological data to reconstruct the likely sites where the first Catholic community in Vilnius buried their dead during the 14th century.

Kaplūnaitė, I. (2024). The Earliest Catholic Burial Sites in Medieval Vilnius. From Paganism to Christianity Burial Rites during the Transition Period, 41–65. https://doi.org/10.33918/978609831447204