A Lithuanian church in New York is set to be closed, with the Lithuanian community and institutions appealing the decision.
According to the Lithuanian consulate in New York, the decision to close the Transfiguration Church in Maspeth, Queens, is based on the building’s poor condition and the high costs required for repairs.
"It is also argued that, due to the presence of two nearby churches – St Stanislaus and Holy Cross – and a decline in the number of parishioners, maintaining a third church is not necessary," it told LRT.lt.
The consulate said it had forwarded a letter from Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Diocese of Brooklyn, stressing the church’s cultural and historical significance. It also reminded officials that the church is listed as part of Lithuania’s significant cultural heritage in the US.
"The letter will also be sent to the US Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, which is aware that the Transfiguration Church is on Lithuania’s heritage list. (...) However, under US law, the decision on the sale of the church and its land rests with its owner – the Diocese of Brooklyn," the consulate stated.
Plans to close the church have angered the local Lithuanian community.
Paul Michael Kazas, an American Lithuanian and president of the Lietuvos Vytis organisation at the Transfiguration parish, said he had sent a letter to the Bishop of Brooklyn on behalf of the community, urging him to halt the church’s closure and planned sale.
In the letter, the community stated that before merging with St Stanislaus Kostka Parish in 2019, Transfiguration Church was considered financially stable and supported by parishioners.
At the time, the community claimed, St Stanislaus Kostka Church was struggling financially, partly due to the nearby St Stanislaus Kostka Catholic School. Following the merger, the Lithuanian church is said to have eased St Stanislaus’s financial burden.
The Lithuanian community also said the church had remained closed for a long time during the Covid-19 pandemic, yet the community continued to support it financially.
Kazas added that the church had hired a contractor for certain repair works a few years ago, turning the area into a construction site for an extended period. This, he said, led to a decline in the number of parishioners. He described the actions taken and the planned closure as "shameful".
"This church has been a landmark of the Maspeth community for more than 115 years and a home for the Lithuanian community," he emphasised.
Archbishop Lionginas Virbalas, the Lithuanian Bishops' Conference delegate for the pastoral care of Lithuanians abroad, has also written to the Bishop of Brooklyn. In his letter, he urged officials to explore all possible ways to preserve the church, which is of great importance to the Lithuanian community.
"It also has significant architectural value, having been recognised by the New York Chamber of Commerce in 1962 and listed among the finest architectural works of the time, alongside John F Kennedy Airport, designed by Eero Saarinen. Furthermore, the church features works by Vytautas Kazimieras Jonynas, one of the most prominent Lithuanian artists of the 20th century. His artworks also adorn such esteemed places as St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and the National Shrine in Washington, DC.
"This church was built during a period of great hardship when Lithuania faced Soviet oppression and atheistic persecution. It symbolises the faith and commitment of Lithuanians to preserving their Catholic tradition," Archbishop Virbalas wrote.
He stated that he had not yet received a response from the Bishop of Brooklyn. LRT.lt also contacted the Diocese of Brooklyn for comment but had not received a response.
The Transfiguration Church is the oldest Lithuanian parish in New York City, established in 1908.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
