Joniškis Church of St. James the Apostle

The first church was built by the Jesuits in 1726. It also included a parish school. Feast days were established for the church in 1752, and brotherhoods of the Holy Trinity and Saint Mary's Scapular were formed in the parish in 1782. Church balks were replaced in 1848 under the care of pastor F. Petrauskas and the parishioners. As of 1891, services were held in Lithuanian by pastor Tomas Sirvydas. The church continuously suffered from conflicts between the Lithuanians and the Poles. In 1912, a trial was held for persons who terrorized those that were speaking Lithuanian in public, sang Lithuanian songs and read Lithuanian prayer books.

During the interwar period, religious and cultural education was organized by pastor Andrius Juknevičius. Pastor Antanas Mažeika was exiled in 1945; pastor Juozas Voveris (1911–1979) was also exiled, and pastor Juozas Šalčius (1900–1988) was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The church has a rectangular plan, two towers, with a three-sided apse and 2 lower sacristies. The interior has three naves with columns. The fence of the churchyard is masonry. Priest Stanislovas Šlamas (1866–1951) who distributed forbidden press was buried in the churchyard.