Vilnius Cathedral Research: Only One Application Submitted

A single application has been received for comprehensive research at Vilnius Cathedral, signaling a limited initial response to a call for scientific and academic participation.

Vilnius University, in collaboration with the Lithuanian Institute of History, is the sole entity to submit a proposal for the historical, architectural, heritage, archaeological, and art historical studies planned for the Vilnius Cathedral. The Lithuanian Council of Science (LMT) announced that the application, focusing on humanities, specifically history and archaeology, is currently undergoing formal checks. If it meets the requirements, it will be evaluated by an international expert commission.

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According to the public call, one application was received. It was submitted by VU, the project partner – the Lithuanian Institute of History.

The LMT had invited researchers from Lithuanian and international institutions to apply for projects lasting up to 48 months, with a potential funding of up to 1.5 million euros per project. The final decision on funding is expected between October 15-20. Experts will assess the scientific vision, clarity of goals, methodology, feasibility, and the competence of the research team, among other criteria.

Culture Minister Lukas Alsys previously indicated that the research was scheduled to commence this autumn. A key aspect of the planned studies includes the search for the burial sites of Grand Duke Vytautas. The government has approved the plan, which involves a multidisciplinary working group. A preliminary, minimally invasive study, estimated at 35,000 euros, is proposed to investigate potential burial locations within the cathedral's crypts. If remains are found, DNA samples for identification might be sought from sites in Kyiv and Prague.

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Experts will evaluate the project's scientific vision and uniqueness, clarity of goals and justification of tasks, chosen methodology and project feasibility, realism of the work plan and risk management. The composition of the executing group and task distribution, the contribution of project partners, expected scientific results, their dissemination, the project's impact on science and society, and the project manager's scientific competence and experience, etc. will also be analyzed.