St. John the Baptist Church is a Roman Catholic church in Židikai. The community worshiped in a wooden chapel as early as 1636. The current stone church, constructed in 1821, reflects Classicism and Romantic period features. In 1842 the current belfry was built. In 1853 there was established a parish and priest Jonas Vaškevičius became the first parson of Židikai parish. Around 1861 the church was renovated and decorated. On 20 May 1862 bishop of SamogitiaMotiejus Valančius consecrated the church.
In 1900 current pastorage was built. In this building from 1915 until her death in 1930 lived Lithuanian authoress and educational Šatrijos Ragana. In her honor wooden cross was built in churcyard. In 1940-1944 the priest at that time Vaclovas Martinkus built a new two storey pastorage of stone however it was nationalised by the soviets and became a hospital.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.