Sacred Lithuanian Hill of Crosses
By tony leather, 30th Apr 2012 | Follow this author
| RSS Feed | Short URL http://nut.bz/16hjvw3g/
Posted in WikinutTravelEuropeLithuaniaVilnius & Around
Since medieval times, this so-called Hill of Crosses has always stood for peaceful resistance from Lithuanian Catholics to all forms of oppression.
Sacred Lithuanian Hill of Crosses
Located 12km north of the Lithuanian city of Siauliai is the national pilgrimage centre, at the heart of which, decorating a small hill, are tens of thousands of crosses, representing both Christian devotion and standing as a memorial to the national identity of Lithuania.
Founded in 1236, the city was occupied, in the 14th century, by Teutonic Knights, from which time it is thought that the tradition of placing crosses originates, first occurring symbolically as shows of defiance againstforeign invaders.
Since medieval times, this so-called Hill of Crosses has always stood for peaceful resistance from Lithuanian Catholics to all forms of oppression. The city was, in 1795 incorporated into Russia but returned in 1918, and a peasant uprising between 1831 to 63 saw many crosses erected upon the hill.
Part2
At the turn of the 19th century there were Lithuanian 150 large crosses on site, which had grown to 400 large ones, surrounded by thousands of smaller ones in 1940. The city was badly damaged as WWII ended and Soviet Russia took it over again, remaining in the USSR until Lithuania's independence in 1991.
Pilgrimage to the Hill of Crosses was seen as a vital expression of Lithuanian nationalism in that Soviet era, when authorities repeatedly removed all the crosses, 1961, 1973 and 1975 being three notable occasions, the last date seeing the hill levelled, all crosses burned or scrapped, and the area covered with waste and sewage, to prevent further intrusions.
.
Part3
In spite of all authoritarian efforts to desecrate this site, pilgrims from all over, along with locals, soon replaced the crosses on the sacred hill, until, exasperated at last, the Soviets gave up in 1985, leaving the Hill of Crosses in peace at last. This sacred site now has a reputation that has spread worldwide annually visited by thousands of pilgrims, even indeed by Pope John Paul II in 1993 in September.
Crosses of every size and conceivable type, beautifully carved out of wood or sculpted from metal, range from imposing 10ft ones to myriad tiny ones hanging from them, brought by Christian pilgrims from all over the world, along with the rosaries, religious images and photographs of Lithuanian patriots left by families.
On breezy days, a uniquely beautiful music is produced by those breezes blowing through the forest of crosses and hanging rosaries, and the feel of the whole place is very spiritual, and well worth putting down on your list of must-see tourist destinations
Comments