Lithuanian Culture Has A Tradition of Crosses

Lithuanian Culture Has A Tradition of Crosses. The Tablet. , The Confirmation class of the Lithuanian Community at Annunciation Church, Williamsburg, traveled to the United Nations General Assembly Feb. 20 for a unique lesson on the significance of the cross in Lithuanian culture., A special exhibit at the UN, "Cross Crafting in Lithuania," displays examples of the centuries-old Lithuanian tradition of creating elaborate crosses and shrines made of carved wood and forged metal. These symbols of devotion are found in such abundance throughout the Lithuanian countryside , in town squares, along roadsides, in cemeteries, near houses, in churches , that Lithuania is often referred to as the Land of Crosses., The crosses in the exhibit combine elements of architecture, sculpture, blacksmith art, and painting., One of the most popular forms of the cross is a pillared shrine ("koplytstulpis"), consisting of an intricately carved wooden pole with iron ornamentation and a roofed structure that typically contains a wooden Christ figure, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or a saint or group of saints., The figure of the Pensive Christ ("Rupintojelis") is an especially revered symbol for Lithuanians, depicting Christ as the savior and comforter for all who suffer, who grieves over the sins and misfortune of the world., The Confirmation candidates and their families learned that cross crafting suffered incomparable damage during the years that Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union. As an expression of resistance to enforced atheism, crosses continued to be erected throughout the Lithuanian countryside, replacing those that had been brutally destroyed by the communist government., At the Hill of Crosses, thousands of crosses erected by pilgrims were bulldozed by the Soviets numerous times, but they soon reappeared, replaced by people of great faith who would not be deterred. This site was honored by a visit by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II in 1993, whose words are inscribed in a stone at the base of the hill: ,

"Thank you, Lithuanians, for this Hill of Crosses which testifies to the nations and Europe and to the whole world the faith of the people of this land."

, The crafting of crosses in Lithuania was entered into the UNESCO World Heritage List of Masterpieces of Humankind on May 18, 2001.