Vilnius, late 17th century
Linen canvas, fabric scraps, silk gilded silver and silver threads and cords, embroidering; flesh tints – oil on canvas, painting

An important occupation of the Bernardine nuns was the embroidery of liturgical vestments and other church fabrics, which was underlined in the Bernardine convent registers of 1671–1775 as a praiseworthy activity that made them stand out in the community. The long-living Otylia Lewoszówna, who came to the Convent of St Michael the Archangel together with the first nuns from Užupis, and even at the age of 60 continued to embroider veils, humeral veils, altar frontals, and chasubles for the church, is mentioned among the embroiderers. In the first half of the 17th century, Melania Plonska who was accepted into the Convent of St Michael without a dowry, but later bought a silver helmet for the painting of St Michael and installed a little altar of Our Lady of Assumption, embroidered in gold a great many veils and other fabrics. Franciszka Zienkiewiczówna is also recorded as having had extraordinary abilities. With their handiwork, the nuns above all enriched the collection of liturgical textiles of their own church, but one can assume that they also shared their works with other convents, monasteries, and churches.