[LITHUANIA] Hill of Crosses

19:59 Travel Bunny 0 Comments

Hill of Crosses near Siauliai is the most unique place in Lithuania. There is no exact historical date when and how the first cross was erected on the legendary and storied mound of Jurgaičiai or Domantai, but the hill was considered sacred since the second part of 19th century. After unsuccessful rebellions against Russian authorities in 1831 and 1863, more and more crosses emerged on the hill. Today, people from around the world still bring crosses to be erected here.

Today I departed from Vilnius by a private van. On the way to Riga, Hill of Crosses is an attraction not to be missed. First you will see the tourist information center ahead and a row of souvenir shops on the right.

Visitors can buy a cross here or bring one themselves to be put on the hill. There are of course rules and procedures to follow if you wish to erect a cross on the hill. For the erection of a cross higher than 3 meters (above ground surface), a person shall apply to the Manager concerning the selection of a place to erect it. For wooden crosses, crucifixes, pillars up to 3 meters, visitors can erect it to the existing construction, without destroying the earlier erected objects.

Just turn right before the tourist information center and follow the trail or crowd to reach where the Hill of Crosses is.

There is no admission fee and visitors have a right to visit the Hill of Crosses at any time of a day.

According to testimonies, before the World War I, there were over 200 crosses. In 1923, the number reached about 400. And about 1960, there were over 2,000 crosses on the hill.

It was really impressive to see the Hill of Crosses up close.

It was windy that day and it didn’t feel like a day in summer at all. Hence, the blanket wrapping my youngest son. He was frowning all the way due to the cold weather, haha.

During the time of Soviet occupation, the Hill of Crosses became an undesirable place. On the 5 April 1961, the Soviets destroyed the hill leaving no single cross on it. All crosses were bulldozed and crushed, and then pushed downhill. Wooden crosses were burned right on the spot, metal ones were taken to the metal scrap and melted, and concrete and stone ones were crushed with crusher and used for road construction.

Not long after the destruction, however, crosses reappeared on the hill. Their number rapidly grew, despite the repeated destruction in 1973, 1974 and 1975. The Hill of Crosses became a symbol of an unshakable faith in the people of Lithuania.

Today the number of crosses has reached over a hundred thousand, big and small.

On 7 September 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the Hill of Crosses. Since then it has been known to the entire Christian world.

After returning to Vatican, Pope John Paul II visited the Franciscan sanctuary on the Mount of La Verna where St, Francis of Assissi had received the stigmata – the visible signs of Christ’s passion - on his body 750 years ago. During this visit, he revealed to the Franciscans his vision to connect the Mount of Verna in Italy with the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania.

On the 9 May 1998, the foundation stone of Franciscan monastery was placed near the Hill of Crosses. Franciscan monastery was finally built in the year 2000.

The stained glass on the left side portray historical moments from the life of St. Francis and his followers, whereas those on the right side show the beginning of the Franciscan movement in Lithuania and its most remarkable historical moments.