A very important discovery has made in Lithuania’s Vilnius Cathedral, where 16th-century royal burial regalia were recover after being conceal for nearly a century. The artefacts, including crowns, rings, chains, a sceptre, and coffin plaques, had hidden in a crypt at the start of World War II.
These treasures, once belonging to significant figures from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland, provide insight into the era’s historical and cultural importance.
As per a press release from the Vilnius Archdiocese, the regalia were discover on 16th December, 2024, by a team of experts using an endoscopic camera to examine the cathedral’s underground chambers.
The items, originally unearth during restoration work in 1931 after a flood expose royal sarcophagi, were hidden in 1939 for safekeeping.
They include burial ornaments tied to Alexander Jagiellon, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland with two queens, Elisabeth of Austria and Barbara Radziwiłł.
These families play a important role during the Polish Renaissance.
Mykolas Sotincenka, communications coordinator for the Vilnius Archdiocese, said that these artefacts are significant due to the scarcity of authentic items from this period in Lithuania’s history.
Archbishop Gintaras Grušas describe the regalia as “priceless historical treasures” and “exemplary works of goldsmithing and jewellery craftsmanship.”
A newspaper from September 1939 was got wrap around the artefacts, confirming their concealment during wartime.
Rita Pauliukevičiūtė, director of the Vilnius Church Heritage Museum, said that these symbols underscore the historical strength of Lithuania’s roots.
Documentation and restoration efforts are underway, and the regalia are expect to be display to the public later 2025.
