Sejny. 06.09.2015 r. 40 Rocznica Koronacji Cudownej Figury Matki Boskiej Sejnenskiej. Sanktuarium Matki Boskiej Sejnenskiej. N/z Figura Matki Bozej Szafkowej z przelomu XIV-XV w. Fot. Andrzej Sidor/FORUM.

It is one of the most beautiful Polish churches. It is a renaissance sanctuary erected by the Dominicans brought to Sejny from Vilnius at the beginning of the 17th century. In the second half of the 19th century it was given a baroque form as a result of the reconstruction of the temple. The temple is dominated by the Vilnius Baroque. During the Sejny Diocese the church was a cathedral – for Poles and Lithuanians. The Sejny Basilica has undoubted scientific, historical and architectural qualities. In the present borders of Poland it is the only architectural building belonging to the so- “Vilnius school”. In addition, it is worth mentioning that one of the most valuable reliquary in the world – the unique Gothic statue of the Madonna. It is one of 7 such figures in the world but the only one considered as an object of religious worship, crowned with papal crowns by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, later Pope John Paul II. An important aspect of town life is the Lithuanian minority living here so in the church liturgy is performed also in Lithuanian language. The basilica is the burial site of Bishop Antoni Baranowski. The accents referring to the common history of Poles and Lithuanians are plafonds placed over the chancel of the church with the images of St. Stanisław and St. Kazimierz. They are a permanent trace of the Commonwealth.