Summary

The belfries and bells of the Žarėnai parish churches

Povilas Šverebas

The Žarėnai church is mentioned as early as 1579, but the first information about the belfry and bells reached only 1675. Even then, 3 bells were hanging in the separately built belfry. The current bell tower was built in 1853. It is classified as a rare type found in Lithuania, when the building combines two rooms of different shapes and purposes: a bell tower and a warehouse, or mortuary. There is one damaged bell hanging in it, which in 1885 was produced at the P. I. Usačiova's factory with the care of pastor B. Lorents, and with the money of the parishioners. During the World War I, the Germans took 2 bells from Žarėnai. In Lauko Soda the first belfry was of an open type and was installed in the gate; later the bells were suspended in the church tower. The current belfry is of compound volume and closed type. Two bells hang in it. The big one was made in the bell factory of the Usačiov Brothers in 1903. It was donated to the church by K. and B. Mažeikos. The small one is made in 1796 in the Varniai Foundry. The signal bell hangs in the church tower. It is also a product of the Varniai Foundry. Both small bells were cast by master P. Kaniauskis. During the World War I, the Germans requisitioned 3 bells from Lauko Soda. In the beginning, the Medingėnai belfry was of an open type, later the instruments were raised to the church tower. In 1891, with the care of priest F. Sireika and parishioners' funds, a two-story brick belfry was built according to the project of U. Golinevičius; two bells hang in it. The big one was cast in 1862 at the A. P. Bogdanova-Finlianska factory, with the care of priest P. Arlauskis and the funds of the parishioners. During the World War I, the Germans took 2 bells from Medingėnai.