The first church in Ūdrija was built in the first half of the 17th century and was rebuilt several times. The new wooden two-steepled Church of St Stanislaus the Martyr, built in 1861, burned in 1913. Upon his assignment to Ūdrija as pastor in 1921, Father Jurgis Žemaitis enthusiastically took up the challenge of building a new church. Taking advantage of the land reform occurring at the time, he purchased a large brick warehouse from the Balbieriškis manor, together with parishioners tore it down, and transported the bricks to Ūdrija to build the church. The foundation was laid in 1923, and the present-day church was completed in 1924 on the site of the wooden church that had burned 11 years earlier. Laid out according to the architectural style of a basilica and made of plastered masonry, the church has neo-Renaissance features. It was consecrated by Prelate Juozas Laukaitis. The church is two-steepled with three naves, of rectangular layout with an apse and adjoining sacristy. The Neo-Renaissance style dominates the exterior. The high altar of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was reconstructed more than once and stands out for its decorative woodcarvings and sculptures. One church bell was cast in 1856, the other in 1932. A two-storey wooden bell tower with a pyramid-shaped roof stands in the churchyard.
Birutės g. 8, Ūdrijos k., Krokialaukio sen., Alytaus r., tel. +370 315 74 477
GPS: 54.439027, 23.877799 (WGS)
Author of photograph Z. Šilinskas
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