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Meskuiciai (Siauliai, Lithuania)

image by Virginijus Misiunas, 2 December 2009

Overview
Coat of Arms

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Overview

From booklet: DISTRICT OF SIAULIAI AND ITS CONTEMPORARY HERALDRY [lal02]:
"Meskuiciai - The village of Meskuiciai was first mentioned in historical sources at the beginning of the 17th century. The church in Meskuiciai was built in 1677. The present church, St. Stephen's, was built in 1897 under the initiative of priest K. Gaudiesius.
In 1691 Meskuiciai was granted the Sunday trade privilage.
The number of the population grew from 34 households in 1811 to 990 in 1979. The post office in Meskuiciai by the highway Tilze-Ryga played an important role in the community life in the 19th century. The settlement was greatly destroyed during WW I and WWII.
Meskuiciai is located 18 km to the north east from Siauliai on the banks of the river Tautinis. In 1962 the local hospital, led by M. Gerdaityte, signer of the Independence Act, was founded.
Meskuiciai rural district consists of 30 villages, the biggest one is Naisiai, birthplace of poet Z. Gaidamavicius-Gele, where the Museum of Literature with a unique collection of medals is located.
Close to Meskuiciai there is the Hill of Crosses, Jurgaiciai (Domantai) mound with a castle until the 14 th century. Crosses on the hill are first mentioned in historical sources in 1850. Their number grew from 150 in 1895 to 400 in 1941. In 1993 the Hill of Crosses with ten thousand of bigger and smaller crosses and pillar crosses was visited by Pope Paul II.
According to the folk etymology the name Meskuiciai comes from the word meska (bear) as the woods nearby were full of wild beasts and bears among them.
Meskuiciai never had a coat of arms, so it was decided to depict a black sinister facing bear with a red tongue and golden claws on a field of silver charged with red crosses.
The Meskuiciai coat of arms was confirmed by the President of the Republic of Lithuania on December 22, 1999."
Audrius Slapsinskas, 24 June 2003

Meskuiciai (Siauliai District) - On a silver field powdered with red Latin crosses a golden armed black bear with red tongue. Flag proportions 5:6, free edges bordered with red and silver rope, finial is a silver tip with silver bands. The bear is canting: "bear" is "meska" in Lithuanian. Crosses refer to the famous Hill of Crosses.
Virginijus Misiunas, 2 December 2009

Coat of Arms

image by Audrius Slapsinskas, 24 June 2003