JUNE PROMPT | A-CULTURATED
You Don’t Need Wars To Be a Rebel
Hill of Crosses in Lithuania: a ruined site of skyscrapers
As I approached the Hill, I could see a huge chaos of crosses from a distance, each cross trying to make space for itself, each cross trying to convey a story of it’s own. Having not read/heard anything about it, I was naturally curious to know what exactly the place stood for.
Situated about 12 km north of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania, the exact origins of the Hill of Crosses remain unknown; however, my guide/driver told me that it was a great place of pilgrimage for the people of Lithuania. One can never really count the number of crosses here, he said, because there are simply too many.
When I entered the site, I saw more kinds and numbers of crosses than I could probably ever imagine. The stairs took me to the top of the hill, and upon reaching atop, I saw an equal or more number of crosses on the other side of the hill! The view was unfathomable!
Lithuanians started putting crosses on this hill as a rebellion against the Soviet rule from as early as 1831.
For grieving family members who couldn’t find the remains of their loved ones from smaller battles and uprisings, the hill became a place to remember them. However it’s interesting to know that there are no actual graves here, just crosses.
Caught between the imperial ambitions of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, Lithuania found itself under the thumb of the latter in 1940. And that’s when the Hill of Crosses gained greater significance.
In the late 50s when Soviets restricted religious expression, the number of crosses exploded and the Soviets actually bulldozed them. They burned the wooden ones, melted the metal ones, and banned the placing of new crosses there.
But the crosses came back.
Hence this place took the shape of a silent rebellion where Lithuanians snuck in at night during the Soviet rule and planted crosses. As confirmed by our guide, even today, any visitor can come and plant a cross on this mighty hill, which not only symbolises the unity of the people of Lithuania but also their strong political resistance.
As I exited the hill, I thought I wasn’t lucky enough to watch someone plant a cross but saw many family names along with little prayers written/engraved on those crosses.
After coming back to India, my curiosity for knowing more about this place multiplied. Hence I tried to read as much about it as I could and felt it’s only right if the story behind this miraculous hill is shared with others.
Attempt A-Culturated’s June challenge like I did:
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