VILNIUS, LITHUANIA — When most people think of the “most Catholic” countries, they usually think of Poland or the Philippines, or somewhere similar. But, in reality, the Republic of Lithuania in the Baltic region of Europe is also high on the list.

VISITORS TO THE HILL OF CROSSES LEAVE CROSSES, ROSARIES AND STATUES OF JESUS AND THE VIRGIN MARY TO SERVE AS AN EXPRESSION OF THEIR DEVOTION TO CHRISTIANITY. PHOTOS BY RON KUZLIK
A relatively small country with a population of 2.9 million people, nearly 74% of Lithuanians self-identified as Catholics in the 2021 census. By comparison, the United States, a country of 335 million is about 23 percent Catholic.
About 12 km (7.5 miles) north of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania, is a pilgrimage site known as the Hill of Crosses.
The exact origins of the Hill of Crosses are unknown. Many believe the first crosses were placed there after the failed 1831 uprising against Russian rule. It is reported there were about 17 crosses in all.
Although nobody is actually buried there, the faithful from Lithuania and the world over have come to the site to leave crosses, Rosaries and even statues of Jesus as well as the Virgin Mary and other mementoes to serve as an expression of their devotion to Christianity and for Lithuanians — national identity.
It is estimated that there are now over 200,000 crosses at the site, with some speculating that there may be as many as 300,000 or more.
It also came to be a sign against the Soviet occupation of Lithuania that began in 1940 and continued for over half a century until the collapse of the Soviet Union and independence of Lithuania in 1991.
During this time of Soviet occupation, the Hill of Crosses became a forbidden place, as it was regarded as
opposition to Soviet ideology.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE NOW OVER 200,000 CROSSES AT THE SITE.
The site was bulldozed at least three times, burning the wood crosses and melting the metal ones to be reused as scrap metal while the stone and concrete ones were crushed and used for road construction. Visitors were deterred by roadblocks and guards.
In spite of these attempts to destroy the site and stymie the faithful, Lithuanians continued to bring crosses to the hill every night, risking harsh punishment including imprisonment.
Instead of destroying the spirit of Lithuanians, these tactics strengthened their resolve.
During a visit to the Hill of Crosses in 1993, Pope St. John Paul II brought it to the attention of the whole world and declared it a place for “hope, peace, love and sacrifice.”
Aurora Romero Ruiz is from Guadalajara, Mexico, but is a frequent visitor to the Diocese of Orange where she attends Mass at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove and St. Vincent de Paul in Huntington Beach.
“I am impressed to be in such an important place in history where so many people died in search of freedom and justice are memorialized,” she commented on her recent visit to Hill of Crosses.
The current Archbishop of Vilnius, the Most Rev. Gintaras Grušas, was born in Washington, D.C., grew up in Agoura, Calif. (Archdiocese of Los Angeles) and was educated at UCLA and the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He was ordained in 1994 and later served as the secretary-general of the Episcopal Conference of Lithuania. He was rector of the seminary in Vilnius and after being ordained a bishop in 2010, he served as the Ordinary for the Military Ordinariate until his appointment as Archbishop of Vilnius in 2013.
He explained the importance of the Hill of Crosses site.
“The Hill of Crosses stands as a profound testament to the enduring faith, hope and resilience of the Lithuanian people,” he said. “For Lithuanian Catholics, it is a sacred place where generations have brought their prayers, their gratitude and their suffering, lifting them to God through the symbol of the Cross.”
He added: “For foreign visitors, it is a deeply moving witness to the strength of faith in the face of oppression, a reminder that no earthly power can extinguish the light of Christ in the hearts of believers. This site transcends borders, calling all who come here to encounter the mystery of the Cross, the ultimate sign of God’s love and our redemption.”
For more information on the Hill of Crosses, go to https://kryziukalnas.lt/?id=44