For our last stop in Lithuania, we had to see the World Heritage site called the Hill of Crosses.
It is exactly as it sounds, a small hill covered in crosses. All kinds of crosses… from gigantic wooden crucifixes to tiny rosaries. An estimate puts the number of crosses around ten thousand. Pilgrimages from all over the world come to this location to place their crosses. We saw soldiers placing crosses for fallen comrades, families placing crosses for lost loved ones, and priests walking the perimeter saying prayers at the Stations of the Cross.
The hill has become a symbolism of the strength of Christianity within Lithuania. It has been knocked down multiple times, but continues to rise back up.
I could have walked the grounds for hours looking at all the little details, but it was freezing! The wind chill was cutting through to our bones. So, we soaked in the last bit of Lithuania before heading back into Latvia. The perseverance of this beautiful country will stay with us forever.
Until next time,