Expression of the catholic folk devotion practices devoted to Jesus Christ in Lithuania

Straipsnyje nagrinėjamos Jėzui Kristui skirtos liaudies pamaldumo praktikos, jų atsiradimo Lietuvoje aplinkybės ir raiška. Tyrimas pagrindė darbo pradžioje išsikeltą prielaidą, kad Jėzui Kristui skirtos liaudies pamaldumo praktikos Lietuvoje atliekamos per gavėnią, birželines pamaldas, šermenis ir mirusiųjų minėjimus.Today the dominant religion in Lithuania is Catholicism. Communities of Orthodox, Evangelical Lutherans and Evangelical Refromats are also present in the country. Since the middle of the 17th century Lithuania is called the Land of Mary (Terra Mariana). Since then the cult of Mary became predominant in Lithuania and it exists till this day. Besides the cult of Mary, Lithuania is also known for devotion practices devoted to Jesus Christ. The object of the research is Catholic folk devotion practices devoted to Jesus Christ in Lithuania. The aim of the research is to aanlyze the background of the Catholic folk devotion practices devoted to Jesus Christ and their expression in Lithuania. The tasks of the research: 1) to examine the practices devoted to Jesus Christ in Lithuania based on the Lithuanian Catholic Church Ritual and the data collected during summer field expeditions; 2) to investigate the origin of the Catholic folk devotion practices devoted to Jesus Christ in Lithuania; 3) to reveal the expression of these devotion practices in Lithuania. The research revealed that in Lithuania there are six folk devotion practices devoted to Jesus Christ: rosary of St. Jesu' Name, 14 stations Cross Way, bitter weepings, Celebration of June, Samogitian Calvary Hills and funeral songs. According to the origin funeral songs are the oldest folk devotion practice devoted to Jesus Christ in Lithuania dating back to the Christening of Lithuania. The rosary of St. Jesus' Name is practiced since the 16th century; Samogitian Calvary Hills - since the 17th century; Celebration of June, 14 stations Cross Way and bitter weepings - since the 18th century