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tactics to deter the public from visiting the hill, such as deeming the crosses had no artistic value, blocking roads from visitors, and guarding of the hill by the KGB and Soviet army. The
Soviets would apprehend anyone bringing crosses to the hill, usually resulting in penalties and incarceration. Despite these efforts to destroy the landmark, the Lithuanian public would continue to bring crosses to the hill every night, risking harsh punishment.
323:. The hill stood as a testament to the Lithuanian people's determination to preserve their religious and national identity during these times. As a result, in the post-Soviet years, the number of crosses exploded. Free from religious oppression, the Lithuanian public was able to practice their religious beliefs without fear of persecution. Due to its religious significance, it became a site of catholic pilgrimage. On September 7, 1993,
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recognized this, resulting in prolonged efforts to destroy the landmark and prevent new emergences of crosses. Despite the peaceful resistance, the
Soviets bulldozed the site three separate times, and there were rumors that authorities planned on flooding the area. The Soviets used other numerous
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members, anti-religious propaganda, and the prohibition of religious teachings. As a continuation of their ancestors, the
Lithuanian populace continued to safeguard their religious freedoms, this encompassing the Hill of Crosses. Visitors would carry crosses with them, either to commemorate their
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adopted rules regarding the placement of crosses. People are allowed to erect wooden crosses less than 3 metres (9.8 ft) in height with no permits. In
December 2019, a tourist from China removed and tossed away a cross believed to be set up by the Hong Kong pro-democracy camp. She later
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became very popular. Visitors were able to make crosses out of small twigs and rocks and tie them together with grass, in order to show their support. Due to the symbolism of cross-crafting during the Soviet occupation,
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A stone inscribed with the words of Pope John Paul II: "Thank you, Lithuanians, for this Hill of
Crosses which testifies to the nations of Europe and to the whole world the faith of the people of this land."
144:. These two uprisings are connected with the beginnings of the hill: as families could not locate bodies of perished rebels, they started putting up symbolic crosses at the site of a former hill fort.
46:
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However, during this time period, the Hill of
Crosses signified the public's opposition to Soviet suppression. This contradicted the prevailing Soviet ideology of the era. The members of the Soviet
68:. The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on the former Jurgaičiai or Domantai
241:. Throughout this time, the Hill of Crosses was used as a place for Lithuanians to pray for peace, for their country, and for the loved ones they had lost during the
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condemned the protesters in a
Twitter post and in an Instagram video saying, "We have done a good thing today. Our motherland is great." Lithuanian Foreign Minister
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Over the generations, the place has come to signify the peaceful endurance of
Lithuanian people despite the threats they faced throughout history. After the
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condemned the woman's action in a tweet that called it a "shameful, disgraceful act of vandalism" and said such behavior "can't and won't be tolerated".
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649:. Compostela international studies in pilgrimage history and culture. Farnham Surrey, England Burlington: Ashgate.
260:, during the occupation of the Soviet Union from 1944 to 1990. Many of these endeavors included the persecution of
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103:. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 55,000 in 1990 and 100,000 in 2006. It is
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loved ones, offer prayers for better health or success, or as a tribute to significant historical events.
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visited the Hill of
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Kelionių vadovas po Lietuvą: 1000 lankytinų vietovių norintiems geriau pažinti gimtąjį kraštą
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Redefining pilgrimage: new perspectives on historical and contemporary pilgrimages
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600:"The Confrontation Between the Lithuanian Catholic Church and the Soviet Regime"
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named
Lithuanian cross-crafting in the lists of good safeguarding practices and
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http://openarchive.icomos.org/cgi/export/eprint/124/HTML/icomos-eprint-124.html
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136:. Poles and Lithuanians unsuccessfully rebelled against Russian authorities in
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561:(in Lithuanian). Lithuanian Millennium of Cultural Heritage Virtual Tour
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794:(in Lithuanian). Šiaulių rajono turizmo ir verslo informacijos centras
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840:"Lithuania outraged by Chinese tourist's removal of Hong Kong cross"
888:"Lietuvos kultūros paveldo tūkstantmečio virtuali paroda: religija"
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534:(in Lithuanian) (4th ed.). Vilnius: Algimantas. p. 339.
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was opened nearby. The interior decoration draws links with
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88:, carvings of Lithuanian patriots and thousands of tiny
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476:– prominent monument in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania
939:(in Lithuanian). R. Paknys press. pp. 256–257.
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3rd partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
790:Šiaulių rajono savivaldybės taryba (16 May 2013).
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743:"Lithuania's miraculous hill of 100,000 crosses"
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105:a major site of Catholic pilgrimage in Lithuania
1043:Religious buildings and structures in Lithuania
123:
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1058:Buildings and structures in Šiauliai County
864:"UNESCO - Cross-crafting and its symbolism"
579:Tour to The Hill of Crosses Near Šiauliai
237:fell apart in 1918, Lithuania once again
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132:in 1795, Lithuania became part of the
60:about 12 km north of the city of
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256:The Lithuanian public was subject to
16:Pilgrimage site in northern Lithuania
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310:in 1990, the practice of Lithuanian
233:When the old political structure of
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302:Significance of the Hill of Crosses
23:General view of the Hill of Crosses
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353:Hill of crosses after fire in 2021
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229:Independent Lithuania (1918–1939)
76:. Over the generations, not only
31:Close view of the Hill of Crosses
792:"Kryžių kalno lankymo taisyklės"
767:"Kryžių kalnas. Hill of Crosses"
718:"Kryžių kalnas. Hill of Crosses"
616:10.1111/j.1741-2005.2006.00105.x
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935:Jankevičiūtė, Giedrė (2006).
838:Dapkus, Liudas (2019-12-30).
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492:– Armenian monumental crosses
342:is said to have received his
530:Semaška, Algimantas (2006).
321:intangible cultural heritage
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588:. Retrieved 31 October 2009
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124:Early history (before 1918)
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96:have been brought here by
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975:Hill of Crosses Lithuania
469:Lithuanian cross crafting
239:declared its independence
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645:Pazos, Antón M. (2014).
394:Hill of Crosses at night
598:Narkutè, Vilma (2006).
1038:Landmarks in Lithuania
980:Speech by John Paul II
671:openarchive.icomos.org
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1009:56.01528°N 23.41667°E
482:– pilgrimage site in
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243:Wars of Independence
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584:2009-04-17 at the
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150:Number of crosses
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985:HillofCrosses.com
963:HillofCrosses.org
695:Missing or empty
656:978-1-4094-6823-3
610:(1011): 456–475.
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747:www.bbc.com
486:, Lithuania
340:St. Francis
252:(1944–1990)
158:over 9,000
86:Virgin Mary
1027:Categories
1000:23°25′00″E
997:56°00′55″N
921:2023-09-30
897:2023-09-30
892:www.lcn.lt
873:2023-09-30
849:2020-01-01
824:2020-04-21
776:2023-09-29
752:2023-09-29
727:2023-09-29
679:2023-09-29
565:2007-05-06
515:References
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329:Franciscan
306:After the
82:crucifixes
72:after the
58:pilgrimage
40:Lithuanian
798:6 January
624:0028-4289
484:Samogitia
332:hermitage
190:over 400
70:hill fort
66:Lithuania
688:cite web
632:43251067
582:Archived
463:See also
344:stigmata
336:La Verna
101:pilgrims
98:Catholic
94:rosaries
90:effigies
62:Šiauliai
844:CTVNews
818:AP NEWS
119:History
78:crosses
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317:UNESCO
262:clergy
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155:1800s
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211:1990
203:1975
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