Многокультурный Вильнюс: сосуществование двух христианских конфессий на раннем этапе развития города

ENMedieval Vilnius was a city between the East and the West. Not only in terms of its geographical location, but in its cultural, political, and religious aspects. Lithuania‘s neighbours in the 13th — 14th c. were already Christians: Orthodox in the east, Catholics in the north and the south. Favourable conditions for newcomers to settle in Vilnius coincided with formation of a multicultural town represented by people of different confessions. With the growing significance of Vilnius in the 13th — 14th c. grand dukes of Lithuania realised the benefit, brought by incoming Christians. Due to these circumstances from the very beginning of the city’s formation representatives of at least three religions encountered in pagan Vilnius: local pagans and two Christian communities — Catholics and Orthodox. The aim of this article is to show the nature of the coexistence of Catholic and Orthodox communities in pagan Vilnius, to identify their similarities and differences, mainly relying on archaeological material. To achieve this goal, it is important to determine the nature of the relationship between Christians of different faiths as well as between Christians and local pagans. Emergence of the Christian communities in Vilnius is not a unique phenomenon. Although specifics of their establishment in Vilnius lay in the fact that unlike in Lithuania neighbouring countries, settlement of Orthodox and Catholics in Vilnius was not caused by religious or military but by economic and political reasons. Invitation of newcomers to Vilnius served the ruler as one of the ways to reach his goals. At the same time it incited blending of different cultures and public development.