Christ in Distress in Lithuanian oral folklore and folk sculpture: The main aspects of perception

The influence of official church art, devotional literature, sermons, chants and etc. on folklore and folk religious art were discussed by some researchers. This article explores direct influences of Catholic Church’s teaching about Christ on the conception of Christ in Distress image and representation in folk/peasant culture. Here, interpretation of this image is closely related to the teaching of church, the religious literature and thus scarcely distanced from the official religiosity at all. The popular interpretation of Christ in Distress image was determined by the influence of various church texts on the distinctive peasant worldview.