The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Seda (Sedos Švč. Mergelės Marijos Ėmimo į dangų bažnyčia) is a significant Roman Catholic landmark located in the town of Seda, in the Mažeikiai District of Lithuania. Belonging to the Diocese of Telšiai, it remains an important spiritual and cultural center for the local community and a notable example of Samogitian sacred heritage.
The Christian history of the site reaches far back: sources indicate that the first Catholic church in Seda was established around 1508, founded by the local noble patron Vaclovas Bartoševičius (Bartoškevičius) and his wife Elžbieta Juškaitė. The original dedication included several devotions, among them the Assumption of the Virgin Mary—an element that later became the key identity of the parish church.
The present church building dates from 1770 and is a wooden structure, representing the region’s traditional folk architecture style. Its modest and harmonious exterior reflects the character of Lithuanian countryside churches, where wood was not only a practical building material but also a defining feature of the architectural identity and atmosphere.
Despite its rural appearance, the church is also connected to the phenomenon of “rural Baroque” in Samogitia—wooden churches that preserve artistic and stylistic echoes of Baroque traditions in their interior spirit and decoration. Such churches are valued not only as places of worship, but also as cultural monuments that reveal how European sacred art was interpreted and transformed through local craftsmanship.
As part of Seda’s wider historical landscape, the Church of the Assumption stands out as one of the town’s most recognizable symbols. It attracts visitors interested in Lithuania’s wooden architectural heritage, as well as travelers seeking quieter destinations where history, faith, and local identity are closely intertwined.