The text describes the Church of St Theresa in Vilnius. Its history is briefly recalled, as well as its position on the map of the city, next to the Ostra Brama Chapel. It is also shown exactly how the church presents itself inside. The paintings present in the church are also mentioned, including portraits of the founders: Stefan Pac, Mikołaj Pac, Michał Pociej and Maria Teresa, daughter of Louis XV and Maria Leszczyńska (Source: Tygodnik Illustrowany, Warsaw 1868, Series 2, T:1, pp. 146-147, after: Digital Library of the University of Łódź).

A modernised reading of the text

St Teresa's Church in Vilnius.

Whoever was in Vilnius during the octave of the Protection of the N. The beautiful Church of St. Theresa, from which the Ostra Brama Chapel directly depends, would undoubtedly be described more often. It would undoubtedly be more often described, reproduced and visited, if it were not for the fact that it is located right next to such a famous place as the aforementioned chapel.

Its fame and the holy gravity which it enjoys among the pious, completely extinguishes, so to speak, the significance of the church, the brief description of which we intend to give to our readers. Besides, there are other circumstances which make this temple not appear as it might have appeared elsewhere. It was built at a time when the motto of "all builders, not only in Vilnius, but also everywhere, was: build as tightly and as densely as possible".

The Church of St Theresa was also marked by the epoch in which it was built. Not only was it built in a narrow street, but it had to be connected directly to the monastery walls on two sides. This is why only the beautiful façade and one of the side walls, adjacent to Ostrobramska Street, can be seen on the outside. Strict art criticism, which, by the way, has recently become too bold in its scouting, not sparing even the greatest masterpieces, which are universally admired - strict criticism, we say, could accuse the structure of this façade of this and that, and even deny it a place in the field of art.

However, people with no gall and no serious erudition maintain that this facade is very beautiful, not because it corresponds to this or that condition of art, but rather because it is original. At least the writer of these words has never encountered anything like it. What strikes one above all is the glaring contrast of colours - black and light yellow or white. Against the light background of the wall, capitals, bases, cornices and frets of black Swedish marble or stone pop against the white marble bases and capitals. It has an indescribable effect, especially when one looks at the façade when the sun is shining all over it. It is both cheerful and sad, bright and gloomy; it is undeniably beautiful, but at the same time somewhat bizarre.

Yes, bizarre, because if, in our opinion, the architect had contented himself only with the above-mentioned architectural ornaments in black, the thing would have escaped. But here, not only was the front decorated with some pyramids, candlesticks and similar ornaments of decaying art, but it was also disfigured by the founder's coat of arms, placed on top of the facade. A coat of arms on a temple - not a bad idea.

If this had happened nowadays, it would have been said that the founder had built the temple out of vanity; but the people of that epoch cannot be accused of lack of piety or even religious humility. Having climbed a few granite steps of a small porch, one enters the interior of the temple, which, if not striking in its solemnity and majesty, is bright and cheerful. It is 51 cubits long and 21 cubits wide and has a rectangular shape with a single tower, or rather a bell tower, which pales in comparison with such a colossus as the St. John's tower.

In the middle there are six pairs of stone arcades, two of which support the choir, while the others are flanked by side altars: on the right by St. Joseph, St. Peter the Apostle and St. John of Nepomuk, and on the left by St. John of Nepomuk and St. John of Nepomuk. Virgin of the Scapular, St John of the Cross and St Peter the Apostle on the left. The main brick altar is decorated on the sides with white columns and four plaster statues of saints. Between them is a large painting exhibiting the wounded heart of Saint Teresa.

We have not been able to find out whose painting it is, either from works on Vilnius or from church visits kindly made available to us by Eustace Tyszkiewicz. Incidentally, let us just mention that there are also very interesting portraits, also by an unknown paintbrush: of the founder Stefan Pac, Mikolaj Pac, Michal Pacoj and Maria Theresa, a Discalced Carmelite nun, daughter of Louis XV, the French king, and Marie Leszczynska. To the right of the entrance is the chapel of the Lord Jesus, built at Pociej's expense in 1773, with a small dome and again with the Pociej coat of arms on the outside.

Indeed, not only the coat of arms, but even a mitre with a gilded knob can be found here. Progress is evident! Inside the chapel, the stuccowork, depicting the story of Christ's passion, is noteworthy. Above the altar is a plaster statue of St Helen with a cross and two angels of the same type at the sides. In addition, there is another monument inside the church, with a very damaged Latin inscription, from which one can only read that it was erected in memory of Pavel and Maryanna Tolstkevich, who, for a fund donated to the church, obliged the monks to perform masses and exequies. The history of this church can be summed up in a few words.

The church was founded in 1626 by Stefan Krzysztof Pac, sub-chancellor of the Grand Duke of Lithuania, together with Stefan and Ignacy Dubowicz, burgomasters of Vilnius. The fund of the church and monastery, according to a visitation in 1804, amounted to Rs. 37,376, yielding an annual income of Rs. 1720. In 1844, the church was handed over to secular priests and turned into a parish church. In conclusion, we should add that the parish of St. Theresa is one of the richest in Vilnius, and even the richest, because of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Dawn Gate. Above all, Pentecost, as the time of pilgrimages to Calvary, brings crowds here every year.