Restored Cross Returns to Preiļi Manor Park
After more than 70 years, a historic cross has been restored and consecrated in Preiļi Manor Park, standing once again opposite the Preiļi chapel.
On June 7, the restored cross was solemnly consecrated in Preiļi Manor Park, now back in its historical location opposite the Preiļi chapel. Until now, only the base remained, as the cross itself was destroyed in the mid-1950s during the Soviet era. The exact date of destruction is unknown.
The restoration was initiated by local photographer Igors Pličs. He noted that many donors contributed, providing materials, labor, time, energy, and financial support. A total of 19 people participated, including Aleksandrs Derkačs, who as a child took part in destroying the original cross and later became a sponsor. Derkačs admitted that the idea of restoring the cross had come to him ten or fifteen years ago, but it was not realized then.
The appearance of the cross was reconstructed based on the memories of elderly residents, as no photographs or drawings of the original cross survive. A bronze figure of Jesus Christ was created by Jānis Karolis, a third-year student at the Riga School of Art and Media (RMMT). The work was supervised by teachers Oskars Mikāns and Viktors Suškevics.
The cross was consecrated by the dean of the Preiļi parish, Juoņs Stepiņš. Prior to the consecration, a Sunday service and procession took place from the Preiļi church to the cross. The new cross complements the Preiļi Manor Park complex and delights both locals and tourists.
