On 30 May - 6 June 2009 youth from ‘II Liceum Ogólnokształc ące im. Piotra Firleja w Lubartowie’ took part in the exchange of students followed in the Polish - Lithuanian Fund for Youth Programs.

The theme of the meeting was:"Lithuanian and Polish Associations former and present - on intercultural dialogue in time and space"

31 May as part of the project the whole group of Lithuanians and Poles went on a tour of trail of .

Below does young people visit pictures and descriptions of places.

The Gate of Dawn (Lithuanian: Aušros Vartai, Polish: Ostra Brama, Belarusian: Вострая Брама ) was built between 1503 and 1522 as a part of defensive fortifications for the city of Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of . The name-sake for the gate was the borough of Ostry Koniec ("sharp end") to which the gate initially led. It has also been known as the Gate, as it led to the village Medininkai south of Vilnius. Of the nine city gates, only the Gate of Dawn remains, while the others were destroyed by the order of the government at the end of the 18th century.

In the 16th century city gates often contained religious artefacts intended to guard the city from attacks and to bless travellers. The Chapel in the Gate of Dawn contains an icon of The Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of Mercy, said to have miraculous powers. For centuries the picture has been one of the symbols of the city and an object of praise of both Roman Catholic and Orthodox inhabitants. Thousands of votive offerings adorn the walls and many pilgrims from neighbouring countries come to pray in front of the beloved painting. Masses are held in Lithuanian and Polish languages.

On September 4, 1993 John Paul II said at the Gate of Dawn Chapel. Church festival of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of Mercy—celebrated in the third week of November—is of great importance in the Vilnius Archdiocese.

After World War II the cult of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn prevailed in Lithuanian and Polish communities worldwide and is continued in many shrines to the Virgin Mary in Europe, and the Americas. The largest of the churches devoted to Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn is St. Mary's Church in Gda ńsk, .

Built by the Discalced Carmelites in 1633-1654, today the Church of St Theresa of Avila is closely linked with the chapel of the Gates of Dawn. The church has been incorporated into the large and spacious monastery and its few inner yards.

The Discalced Carmelites is the Order reformed by St Theresa of Avila and St John of the Cross-in Spain, the members of which obey the strict monastic ‘rule' of St Albert and their proper Constitution. These monks were the most known in the field of mystic theology and the writings of St Theresa and St John of the Cross have been considered informative masterpieces on mysticism up to these days. In 1626, the Discalced Carmelites came to Vilnius and in 1737 they established the Lithuanian province of St Casimir. After the uprisings of 1831 and 1864, the tsarist authorities closed all the monasteries that belonged to the Discalced Carmelite Order. Later, in pre-war Lithuania, the monasteries were restored again.

Sponsored by Lithuanian noblemen, the Discalced Carmelites built a monastery complex in Vilnius, bordering the fortification walls of the city, which stretched over the territory of three districts. In 1654, the church of St Theresa was consecrated by bishop of Vilnius Jurgis Tiškevi čius in the place where it stands today in front of the monastery buildings surrounded by the brick wall, with its presbytery bordering the monastery.

Under-chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Stephan Pac sponsored the construction of the church. Its exterior was designed by royal Italian architects Constante Tencalla and Giovanni Battista Gisleni. The present day interior was created in the second half of the eighteenth century. In 1760-1764, the artist from Vilnius Motiejus Sluš čianskis decorated the church's interior with the frescoes representing the life and activities of St Theresa. In 1783, Motiejus Pac built a chapel (in-between the rococo and classicism style) on the side of Aušros Vart ų Street.

The church of St Theresa has never been closed down. In 1844, with the closure of the monastery of the Discalced Carmelites, the church together with the chapel of the Gates of Dawn became a parish church.

Behind the Philharmonic Society's Hall stand the exceptionally graceful, wavy gates of the Basilian monastery, one of the most splendid late baroque structures in Vilnius. They are decorated with a composition celebrating the Holy Trinity. After passing through the arch of 18th century gates, one enters a spacious yard, in the middle of which looms a cube-shaped church having gothic, baroque, and Byzantine elements.

The Basilian monastery was founded on top of Holy Trinity Hill where the Christians, Antanas, Jonas, and Eustakijus, were hanged for converting to the Orthodox faith. In 1347, in memory of them, Julijona, the wife of Algirdas, built a wooden Orthodox church. After the church burned down in 1748, the Basilian monks built a new Orthodox church in the same location, where church has stood until the present day. The church is in the rococo style, its interior divided into three equally high naves topped by semi circular apses. During the restoration of the church, two rococo-style towers were built, the windows enlarged, and a portal introduced.

The monastery's houses built together with the church were later reconstructed more than once. An Orthodox printing house was also located there. At the beginning of the 19th century, a prison was established in the southern building of the monastery. In the 1st half of the 20th century, a Byelorussian gymnasium was housed here as well as a scientific society and a museum. The Basilian monks are now living in a small part of the premises of the previous monastery and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University also uses a part of the premises.

On one of basilian’s monastery buildings is a memorial sign to Adam Mickiewicz who was a prisoner of Russian prison here in 1823-1824. There one of the Mickiewicz’s dramas – ‘Dziady’ takes place.

The Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius houses the original painting of as revealed to Blessed Sister Faustina by Jesus. The church serves as the main center for the Catholic Polish- speaking community in Vilnius and is administered by the Dominicans. It is the only sanctuary in Vilnius where Mass is said only in Polish.The Church of the Holy Spirit has a splendid gold-and-white interior. A remarkable crucifix, “brought to life” by the incoming daylight, is above the main altar. The original painting of the Divine Mercy is enshrined above a side altar. Pope John Paul II visited the shrine and prayed before the sacred image in 1993.

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is traditionally said at three o'clock every day. In Jesus' revelations to Blessed Faustina, he asked for a daily remembrance of his Passion at the very hour that recalls his death on the cross.

About The Original Painting of Divine Mercy

Jesus appeared to Sister Maria at her convent in Plock, Poland, on the first Sunday of Lent in 1931. Jesus instructed her, in a vision, to have a picture painted as she saw Him – with His right hand raised in blessing and His left hand slightly touching his chest and red and pale rays of light streaming from His Heart.

But Sister Faustina did not confide in anyone until 1934, when she told her new spiritual director at a convent in Vilnius about the dream. After much hesitation, he found an artist from Vilnius to create the image. , the artist, completed the painting in 1934 according to Faustina’s instructions.

Three years later Faustina's spiritual confessor consecrated the image and placed it near the high altar in his church. It remained here until 1948, when St. Michael's Church had to be closed. For the next thirty years, the painting was moved from place to place, until it arrived at the Church of the Holy Spirit in 1987. Today, millions around the world pray before a replica of the image as they say, “Jesus, have mercy on us, and on the whole world.” The painting of the first image of Divine Mercy is enshrined above a side altar in the Church of the Holy Spirit.

The Cathedral of Vilnius, a massive Baroque church with beautiful works of art and sacred objects, is a Vilnius landmark. St. Casimir, Lithuania’s patron saint, is buried here in a silver coffin. His tomb is to the right of the high altar. Every year the faithful come to pray at his tomb and seek his powerful intercession. In 1993, the shrine received Pope John Paul II.The Cathedral of Vilnius, located at Arkikatedros Square, is open daily and receives pilgrims throughout the year. A gift shop is located in the cathedral. St. Casimir’s feast is celebrated on March 4.

About St. Casimir

St. Casimir (1458-1484) is the only canonized Lithuanian saint. He is the patron of Lithuania and Lithuanian youth. He was born of royalty, the second son of King Casimir IV and Elizabeth of Austria, but devoted himself at an early age to the service of the Lord. He was gifted, well- educated, and virtuous, and known for his devotion to Mary and his alms to the poor rather than his short political career.

Casimir was loved and respected by both the Polish and Lithuanian people; even after his death in Vilnius in 1484.Numerous miracles were attributed to him through his intercession. The saint's gravesite became so popular that Pope Alexander VI granted an indulgence to the chapel in which Casimir had been buried. In 1620, Pope Paul V extended the feast day of Saint Casimir to the universal Church, authorizing a Mass and a proper Divine office.

The cathedral of Vilnius was built in 1604- 1618. Ruined by fires in the 17th and 18th centuries, the twin-towered Baroque church was modified during restoration in the mid- 18th Century.

It is a Roman in Vilnius' Old Town, on the right bank of the Vilnia River. It is a prominent example of both Flamboyant Gothic and Brick Gothic styles. St. Anne's is among the features of that enabled the district to be included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The first church at this site, thought to be wooden, was built for Anna, the first wife of Vytautas the Great. Originally intended for the use of Catholic Germans and other visiting Catholics, it was destroyed by a fire in 1419. The present brick church was constructed on the initiative of Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander in 1495 – 1500; the exterior of the church has remained almost unchanged since then. The reconstruction of the church funded by Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł and Jerzy Radziwiłł, was carried out in 1582 after severe fire damage. Abraomas Kulvietis preached in the church between 1538 and 1541. In 1747, the church underwent a repair under supervision of Johann Christoph Glaubitz. In 1762, side arches of the main portal were hidden in order to strengthen the support for the facade. The design of the church building is attributed to either Michael Enkinger, the architect of a church of the same name in Warsaw, or to Benedikt Rejt. However, neither of the attributions is attested by written sources. St. Anne's Church is part of an ensemble, comprising the much larger Gothic Church of St. Francis and Bernadine, as well as a monastery.

The church was renovated in 1902–1909 when the side arches were uncovered and the walls were strengthened with iron and again in 1960– 1970 when the towers in bad shape were restored.

There is a well-known legend that Emperor Napoleon, after seeing the church during the course of the Franco-Russian War in 1812, expressed a wish to carry the church home with him to Paris 'in the palm of his hand'. In reality, however, he gave it to his cavalry instead.

The University of Vilnius, one of the oldest and most famous establishments of higher education in Eastern and Central Europe, was founded in 1579. Functioning for a long time as the only school of higher learning in Lithuania, it was a preserver of cultural and scientific traditions, and has played a significant part in the cultural life not only of Lithuania, but the neighboring countries as well. During more than four centuries of its existence, the University of Vilnius has seen periods of growth and decline, revival, and closure. The University is a unique witness to the history of the Lithuanian state.

In 1579, King Stephen Bathory's charter transformed the Jesuit college, founded in 1570, into an establishment of higher education, Academia et Universitas Vilnensis Societatis Jesu, the transformation being confirmed by Pope Gregory XIII. Although being away from other European cultural centers, the University equaled other famous European Universities and had outstanding professors and students, some of who were: the poet Mathias Casimir Sarbievius; the famous professor of rhetoric and philosophy Žygimantas Liauksminas; the author of the first history of Lithuania Albertas Vij ūkas- Kojelavi čius; professor Martin Smiglecki, whose book “Logics” was very popular in United Kingdom and France, and many others. The first book in the on the territory of the Great Duchy of Lithuania was published at the University. In 1753, the Astronomical Observatory was set up.

In 1773, the Jesuit order was dissolved in Europe and the University was taken over by the secular authority. After Lithuania was annexed by Russia, the University was renamed into Vilnius Principal School. In 1803, the University received a new statute and the title of the Imperial University of Vilnius. Many famous names were associated with the University at that period: the famous medical men from Vienna Johann Peter Frank and his son Joseph Frank, the historian and public figure Joachim Lelewel, the poets Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Slowacki, historian , etc. As a number of students and professors became engaged in the anti–tsarist movement, the University was closed down according to the orders of tsar Nicholas I, and it was not reopened until 1919. Vilnius and its region were then annexed by Poland, and the University functioned under the Polish auspices until 1939 by the name of Stephen Bathory University. Among students of the University at that time was the future Nobel prizewinner Czeslaw Milosz.

In 1939, the University was brought back under the control of Lithuania, but in 1940 after the Soviet occupation it was reorganized according to the Soviet model. In 1943, the University was closed down by the Nazis, and resumed its activities in the autumn of 1944. Though restrained by the Soviet system, Vilnius University grew and gained force. Vilnius University started to free itself from the Soviet ideology in 1988 even before Lithuania regained independence in 1990. The University got back its autonomy and adopted its own statute.

Didzioji (Large) street, 22 in Vilnius. From this house Tsar authority deported Adam Mickiewicz into Russia. He left Vilnius forever.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century tenement in Bernardins 11, which today houses the Museum of Adam Mickiewicz, belonged to a Życkiego. In 1822 on a rented apartment (on the ground floor of the courtyard) Adam Mickiewicz, prepared to print ‘Gra żyna’.

After several efforts in 1911, the Vilnius Society of Friends of Sciences has set up in the house, which was owned by the well- known singer and publisher John Obst, a museum dedicated to the memory of poet - Adomo Mickeviciaus Memorialinis butas- muziejus. During World War II, the museum has been partially destroyed, renewed it in 1955, the hundredth anniversary of the death of the poet.

In 1979 the building was renovated. Since 1983, again in three rooms has been museum of poet, which is under the care of the University of Vilnius. Outlet refers connection poet with the city and Lithuania. Here you can see, the poet's chair brought from Paris, which has been before the war in a cell at the Konrad Basilian monastery, and part of the furnishings from his dwelling house in Kaunas, the students registration book from 1815 in which under the number 93 Mickiewicz was entered, and finally the translation of works into Lithuanian.