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| Photo of the hill from Sacred Sites |
“The
Hill of crosses is located in Northern Lithuania, and has been a site for
pilgrimage for a very long time” (Daily mail Reporter). People from all over
bring crosses and rosaries to this site in order to honor their loved ones.
When the families lost their loved ones and didn’t have their body for account,
they would take crosses and leave them on the hill in their remembrance. All
different kinds of crosses are placed here. Wooden, metal, big, and small
crosses are left by many people in grieving the loss of their loved ones
(Simone Preuss). “When the Russians gained power over Lithuania, during the soviet
period, religion was forbidden” (Daily Mail Reporter). The Hill was burnt down
twice during this period, but pilgrims consistently would return to start
filling up the hill with crosses again. Today the site has different reasons
for visitors. Many people visit it as just a tourist spot. It is a very popular
site to see in Lithuania. Some of the most respectable people have visited the
Hill of Crosses, such as Pope Jon Paul. Others come to pray and use it as a
place to connect with God. It is tradition for every person who visits this
site to leave a cross. This is how it continues to keep growing. Today there
are over 100,000 crosses on this HILL. Tradition will carry on in placing
crosses here because it traces back to the Pilgrims of Lithuania, and their
history.
Works Cited:
Daily Mail Reporter.
"Mysterious Hill of Crosses Where Pilgrims Actually Believe Christ Can
Perform Miracles ." Mail Online. Mail Online, 15 Oct. 2013.
Preuss, Simone. "Lithuania's
Haunting Hill of Crosses." Lithuania's Haunting Hill of Crosses. 15
Oct. 2013.
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| Image from Wikimedia Commons |
LINKS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
This site goes into further detail
on the meaning behind this hill.
This site shows what a famous place
this hill is, and how important it is in Lithuania.
This site goes into detail on the
religious meaning to the Hill of Crosses.
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