The history of St Catherine's Church and the former Benedictine monastery dates back 400 years, when the first small group of sisters arrived in Vilnius from Nesvizh. In the 18th century, the community grew into one of the largest monasteries in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, became an important cultural centre, and built the magnificent Church of St Catherine of Alexandria, considered to be the pearl of the Baroque. During the Tsarist repression, the monastery declined, but miraculously escaped closure and remained the only functioning Catholic monastery in the entire city. At the beginning of the 20th century, on the verge of extinction, it was revived with renewed vigour. The Second World War and the Soviet era deprived the Benedictines of their birthplace, dissipated and scattered their wealth, and led to the disintegration of the monastery, with some of the sisters staying in Vilnius and others leaving for Poland. However, the Benedictines of Vilnius did not lose heart: in both countries they managed to re-establish their monastic life, where they still live today, cherishing the memory of their roots and upholding the authentic traditions of the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Church Heritage Museum (Šv. Mykolas g. 9, Vilnius) will be open until 23 April.