The Hill of Crosses in Lithuania

In the summers of 2006 and 2007, my husband and I traveled with a group of Methodists from the southeastern United States to Liepaja, Latvia, to build a youth camp. The site was a former Russian farm, located at about a ten minute walk from the shores of the Baltic Sea. The North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church had purchased the farm. We were there to clean out the years of debris and remodel the century-old buildings into suitable accommodations for young people.

In 2007, we planned time to take a day trip to Siauliai, Lithuania-the site of the world-renown Hill of Crosses. After we crossed the Lithuanian border, we drove through miles of flat grain fields. In the distance, a small hill rose, uncharacteristically, from the level ground. As we neared the site, we found a large mound of dirt that was covered by an untold number of crosses, carvings and statues. The crosses and statues had been left there over the years by pilgrims of the Christian faith and patriots of Lithuania proclaiming their peaceful resistance to religious oppression.

The history of Siauliai goes back to 1236. The city was occupied by Teutonic Knights during the 14th century which heralded the beginning of more than six centuries of repression of national identity and religion. In 1795, Siauliai was incorporated into Russia but was returned to Lithuania in 1918. Germany captured the city in World War II but Russia retook it at the war's end. From 1944 until Lithuania's independence in 1991, Siauliai was a part of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic of the USSR.

During all these years of national and religious repression, the Hill of Crosses served as a symbol of freedom and hope. The Christian crosses were repeatedly removed by the Soviets who went so far as to level the hill, burn the crosses or turn them into scrap metal, and then cover the area with waste and sewage. These desecrations took place in 1961, 1973, and 1975. After each desecration, the local residents and pilgrims from all over Lithuania rapidly replaced the crosses on the sacred hill.

The story of the Hill of Crosses, and the determination of the Lithuanian people to preserve their nationality and religious freedom, spread rapidly about the world.

This humble hill has become a symbol of man's determination to be free and to worship his God. We marveled at the size, variety and number of crosses. Crosses have been placed by pilgrims from all around the world. We left our small mark, a cross in memory of one of our loved ones, on that hill-in recognition of and respect for the deep, undying faith and determination of the people of Siauliai, Lithuania.

The photograph on the header of the ChristianTees website was taken during our trip to the Hill of Crosses. Our website offers a selection of crosses in various designs and colors to use on your ChristianTee. The designs are fashioned into rhinestone appliques and applied to the shirts. You will also find butterflies, a rooster, a peace dove, an Icthus symbol, and the words "Faith," and "God." Your Christian T-shirt will serve as a testament of your faith in an elegant and attractive manner. Go to http://www.tees-4christians.com to design your very own Christian T-shirt.

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