Location: Lavorishkes village (Lith. Lavoriškės) is located 8 km from the border with Belarus, on the highway Vilnius–Polatsk. There is an international border crossing “Lavorishkes” from the Lithuanian side and “Katlowka” from the Belarusian side. Historians claim that people settled in this area the year dot. It is known that a fortified settlement was established there in the 3rd–4th centuries. Today not a stick or stone remained of the settlement.
Lavorishkes in Skaryna’s times
It is known that soon after the Lithuanians converted to Christianity, the village belonged to the Lithuanian dukes. The documents from 1523 mention the village of Lavorishkes and the volost. During the era of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the village of Lavorishkes had a common Elder with Rokantiskes (Lith. Rokantiškės). In the 16th–19th centuries, there was a foundry and paper mill.
Lavorishkes from the 17th century to this day
In the 17th century, the Eldership passed into the possession of magnates from the Pac family. In 1798, the Eldership numbered about 800 persons, and by the decree of Tsar Paul I became the property of Adam Belski.
It is known that in the early 20th century the village was rapidly developing up until the First World War. At the end of 1944, a detachment of Polish partisans of the Home Army attacked the village of Lavorishkes and drove the German invaders out of it. As far as it is known, the village of Lavorishkes became one of the first localities in Lithuania to encounter the troops of the Soviet Army.
Today about 700 people live in Lavorishkes.
Church of St. John the Baptist
As far as it is known, the first church in Lavorishkes was built in 1644 thanks to the generosity of the great Lithuanian treasurer Stefan Pac. The church was destroyed by fire in 1755. The new church was built by the Bishop of Vilnius Mikhail Zyankovich. The parish in Lavorishkes was considered rich: according to the documents that have survived to the present day, the parish owned a publishing house, a tavern, a brewery, a mill over the river Vileyka and outbuildings of the parish itself. In 1842, the Tsar issued a decree ordering that the ownership of the church is passed to the state.
The church, built by the efforts of the Bishop of Vilnius, was replaced by a new one in 1906. This time the money for a new church, a considerable sum for those times – 11 thousand roubles in silver – was collected by the residents of Lavorishkes.
Not only a new church, but also a village folk school was built in Lavorishkes in the early twentieth century. The locality was developing rapidly until the First World War. Interestingly, the church was barely damaged during combat operations. Only the parish cemetery was affected.