The text describes the Chapel of St Casimir in Vilnius Cathedral together with the altar of St Casimir. The note describes the physical appearance of the entire chapel, as well as its history, associated with Casimir IV Jagiellon, Sigismund the Old and Ladislaus IV. The chapel also contains two paintings by Smuglewicz (Source: Tygodnik Illustrowany, Warsaw 1879, Series 3, T:7, p. 397, after: University of Łódź Digital Library).

A modernised reading of the text

St Casimir's Chapel in Vilnius Cathedral

The most magnificent of the ten chapels adorning the interior of Vilnius Cathedral is undoubtedly the Chapel of St Casimir, built entirely of Swedish sandstone and lined with the most beautiful Italian marble. In its altar is a painting by an unknown artist, with three hands holding lilies and a rosary in the left. It is said that when the artist made one hand too long, he effaced it and painted a shorter one, directed towards the heart. The third hand, however, kept coming out, despite being covered with thick layers of paint, and so the painting had to remain three-handed for posterity.

Above this painting was placed a coffin, encased in thick silver sheets, reportedly weighing up to 3,000 pounds, resting on silver eagles. In it rests the corpse of St Casimir, son of Casimir IV Jagiellon.
Above, in the cupola - rich plaster and stucco work, while the walls are painted al fresco. In the corners above the choir are two paintings on canvas by Smuglewicz: "The fight against the infidels" and "Victory over them". In addition, the interior is covered with a multitude of arabesques and allegorical decorations, in plaster and sandstone.

The chapel, originally built by Casimir IV Jagiellon, and restored by Sigismund the Old after its destruction in 1500, was finally completed by Ladislaus IV, under the direction of the famous architect and painter Peter Danckerts, known as de Ry.

On 14 August 1636, in the presence of the King, the Papal Nuncio Marius Pilonard and the illustrious lords of Lithuania and Rus, the solemn transfer of St Casimir's remains to it took place.

In the vaults of the chapel rests the heart and entrails of Wladyslaw IV, who died in Meresha on 20 May 1648.
Also noteworthy, as a monument of ancient preaching, is the small portable pulpit set up there, in the shape of a chalice, seated on a flying eagle, from which court preachers once addressed memorial families.