Church of St. John the Baptist, Židikai

About

St. John the Baptist Church (Lithuanian: Šv. Jono Krikštytojo bažnyčia, Samogitian: Žėdėku šv. Juona Krėkštītoja bažnīče) is a Roman Catholic church in Židikai, Lithuania. It is located in the west of Mažeikiai district municipality, next to the Mažeikiai-Skuodas road.

The Roman Catholic community in Židikai worshiped in a wooden chapel as early as 1636. The current towerless stone church was constructed in 1821 and it reflects the features of Classicism and Romanticism.

In 1842 the current belfry was built. In 1853 a parish was established and the priest Jonas Vaškevičius was appointed as the first parson of the newly established Židikai Roman Catholic parish. Around 1861 the church was renovated and decorated. On 20 May 1862 the bishop of Samogitia Motiejus Valančius consecrated the church.

In 1900 the current pastorage was built where since 1915 until her death in 1930 lived famous Lithuanian author and educational Šatrijos Ragana. A wooden cross was built in the churchyard after her death to honour the author.

In 1940–1944 the parson at that time Vaclovas Martinkus built a new two-storey pastorage of stone which soon was nationalised by the Soviets and eventually became a hospital.