1547

1997

A Virtual Exhibition of a Millenium of Lithuanian Cultural Heritage
GUIDED TOUR

THE FIRST LITHUANIAN BOOK

• The First Lithuanian Book and Its Cultural Context
• The Foreword of Catechism and the Audio of the First Lines
• Martynas Mažvydas' Biography and a Portrait
  • Vilnius School of Abraomas Kulvietis
  • Duke Albrecht von Brandenburg
  • Königsberg University
  • The Former Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ragainė Today
• Monuments to Martynas Mažvydas
• Mažvydiana in the World
• Musical Events and Records to Listen
• The Coin of the 450th Anniversary of Catechismus
• The Medal of the 450th Anniversary of Catechismus

MAŽVYDAS, MARTYNAS. Catechismusa prasty Szadei, Makslas skaitima raschta yr giesmes del kriksczianistes bei del berneliu iaunu nauiey sugulditas... – Königsberg: Hans Weinreich Publishing House, 1547. – 79 pp.

         "Broliai seserys! Imkit mane ir skaitykit ..." (Brothers and Sisters! Take me and read me...) - you can listen to the first lines from the Foreword of the First Lithuanian Book..

. The first Lithuanian book, prepared by Martynas Mažvydas, Lutheran priest and rector of Ragainė parish. This is the first primer, catechism, book of hymns in Lithuanian. The foreword "Knigieles paczias byla ..." is the first original verse in the Lithuanian language.

It is assumed that the number of copies printed was approximately between 200 and 300. Only two copies are extant and they are preserved at the Vilnius and Torun (Poland) University libraries. Some photocopies of "Cathecismusa..." were published in Lithuania.

The name of Mažvydas was not forgotten. The 400th anniversary of the issue of the book was marked in occupied Lithuania and by the community of Lithuanian émigrés abroad in 1947.  In 1976 the park of sculptures established in Klaipėda  bears his name,  the mountain peak (4560 m.) in the Tien Shan mountains has the  name of   Martynas Mažvydas. Lithuanian mountaineers were the first to get there in  1979.

Nowadays the motif of M. Mažvydas is often used in works of literature, music and art. Streets of Lithuanian towns are named after him, monuments erected  to him. One of them  is the monument to Martynas Mažvydas in Klaipėda unveiled in 1997.

In 1997 the 450th anniversary of the first Lithuanian book publishing was celebrated widely in Lithuania and in the World. There were many conferences, exhibitions, special publications issued, the jubilee coin and the 450th anniversary medal were minted at the Mint of Lithuania.