Lithuanian Commemorative Coins

Coin dedicated to the Hill of Crosses THE HILL OF CROSSES Throughout the centuries, the Lithuanian cross-crafting tradition has become a unique form of art and folk piety, and thus was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It includes not only crosses and wayside shrines erected near farmsteads, on roadsides, in cemeteries, forests or churchyards, but also their clusters, i.e. various hills of crosses, nearly 30 of which can be found in Lithuania. The largest and world-famous one is situated near Šiauliai on the Castle Hill of Jurgaičiai (Domantai) and is called the Hill of Crosses. The history of the Hill of Crosses, as well as of cross-crafting as a whole, is very complex. Although it is unclear when exactly the first crosses were placed, some believe that it started in the 14–15th centuries, while only 19th-century records provide us with more specific information. A significant number of crosses were placed on the Hill during the uprisings of 1831 and 1863. There is certain evidence that it served as a place for burying rebels and performing executions. Only a sparse amount of written 19th-century sources has survived to this day. They include the Šiauliai economy treasurer Maurycy Hryszkiewicz’s 1850 Šiauliai Economy Manor Inventory (listing around 20 crosses), the archaeologist Fyodor Pokrovsky’s 1899 Map of the Archaeological Monuments of Kaunas Province and Ludwik Krzywicki’s book Żmudż Starożytna (Ancient Samogitia) published in 1906. There were also a number of attempts to count the crosses: in 1850, there were 20 crosses, in 1900 – around 130, in 1902 – 155, while in 1914 – 200 crosses and a chapel. During World War I, the number of crosses diminished to merely 50 in 1920, yet in 1923 it again grew to 400. In the 19th century, some religious practices were started on the Hill of Crosses: the services and devotions during the 14-Station Way of the Cross, which was set up in 1888, used to attract thousands of worshippers. There is some evidence that Joninės (St. John’s Eve) was also celebrated on the Hill. The ethnologist Dr habil. Vacys Milius believed that the main incentive to locate crosses on the Hill in the 19th century was the Russian government’s prohibition to put them in places other than churchyards and graveyards (which was enforced in 1845 and renewed after the uprising in 1864). The available historical facts are complemented by stories and legends told by people and recorded by

The Hill of Crosses (second half of the 20th century). Samogitian Diocese Museum, ZVM VA_3035-1 The Hill of Crosses on the eve of its destruction. Lithuanian National Museum of Art, LNDM ApLM-1343

researchers. In general, there are still many undiscovered parts in the history of the Hill of Crosses, especially surrounding its origins. Until the 14th century, the Castle Hill of Jurgaičiai was one of the fortresses intended for warding off the attacks of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. It housed a settlement and a wooden castle (as confirmed by rare archaeological evidence) which, as legend has it, was burnt to the ground during a major battle. To commemorate this event, a tumulus was built in its place. Equally intriguing are the stories about a church that sunk into the Hill, an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and burning money. The first crosses placed on the Castle Hill of Jurgaičiai have been enveloped by various stories about miraculous recoveries: gravely ill patients would promise to erect a cross there – some of them would even see an apparition, usually in their dreams, and learn that in order to heal, they have to build a cross on the Hill. Similar stories became wide-spread, therefore, it was not a rare thing to give such oaths. This is how the number of crosses on the Hill started growing. The Soviet times were a dark page in the history of the Hill of Crosses. There are no written testimonies on the years of Stalin’s repressions and persecutions but, according to some stories, during this period crosses were erected there to commemorate the fallen partisans. In 1956–1959, with persecutions getting less severe after Stalin’s death, a total of nearly 1,000 crosses were placed on the Hill. Unfortunately, this was only temporary, because the crosses began to be systematically destroyed. After 1959, their destruction was started to be documented: for example, in order to implement the Decision of the Central Committee of the Lithuanian Communist Party of 20 April 1959 on the means to end the mass visitation of holy places, all the crosses were knocked down. However, it did not take long for them to reappear on the Hill again. To justify „Sutartinių tako“ dalyvių ratas, „Skamba skamba kankliai“, 2011 m. Nuotrauka Keiichi Kagi these restrictions, the Castle Hill of Jurgaičiai was declared a natural-historic monument, making the place untouchable (the decision of the Nature Conservation Committee under the Council of Ministers of the Lithuanian SSR adopted in 1961). Under this decision, the Central Committee of the Lithuanian Communist Party quickly passed a decree to “cleanse the Castle Hill of Jurgaičiai from crosses” and place a memorial stone with an inscription “1861–1864”. The “cleanse” was done with bulldozers, tractors and saws. In total, 2,179 crosses were destroyed: 586 big ones, 610 medium ones, 581 small ones, and dozens of miniature crosses and medallions. The wooden crosses were burnt, while 263 crosses that were made of metal, concrete and stone were broken into pieces. As new crosses kept turning up, more and more of them were once again teared down: 400 crosses were destroyed in 1973 and around the same number in two attempts in 1974; another 50 crosses and wayside shrines were dismantled in 1976. After each attempt, crosses were secretly erected again at night-time. And so, the Hill of Crosses became a symbol of resistance to the oppression and fight for freedom of the nation, religion and people. The destruction did not stop with crosses: there were plans to flood the Hill or impose “quarantine” restrictions, blocking roads that led to it, etc. Visitors that ignored the restrictions were monitored and registered. Even though people risked repression or imprisonment, they still organised processions that were actively attended by the youth. Underground press, such as Aušra and Lietuvos Katalikų Bažnyčios Kronika journals, published articles on the devastation of the crosses, efforts to rebuild them and the persecution of those who erected or visited them. These articles made their way across the globe, spreading the word about the fight for the Hill of Crosses. The national revival and restoration of Lithuania’s independence were the end to all restrictions. The Hill of Crosses started to grow and has continued to do so ever since. In 1997, devotions on the Hill were brought back. In 2004, the Hill held, for example, the Lithuanian Youth Days and the Way of the Cross events. The word about the Hill of Crosses spread especially wide when Pope John Paul II visited it in 1993 and a Franciscan monastery was built on his initiative. An impressive cross gifted by John Paul II has in a way become a symbol of the Hill of Crosses. Currently, the entire infrastructure of the Hill is under works (e.g. there is now an information centre and a parking lot for visitors). The increasing number of crosses and visitors from all over the globe brought not only changes to the overall look of the Hill, but also new reasons and motives for visiting it and placing crosses. This is evident from the dedications on some of the crosses. Many of them are traditional, asking for health and family bliss or thanking for the grace received. Many crosses are dedicated to Lithuania and the exiled. Since the geography of visitors is much wider, the Hill now also boasts crosses from other nations and religious communities. Tall, intricate crosses, roofed pillars, wayside shrines and sculptures – mostly crafted by famous Lithuanian folk artists – are towering beside the multitude of plain and simple ones. They are covered with miniature crosses, rosaries, religious insignia and similar items that people leave to mark their visit. The Hill of Crosses has always been an extraordinary place of prayer and gratitude. It is often visited by newlyweds, participants of personal or community celebrations, organisations or tourists. Researchers have now begun talking about the preservation of the Hill as a place of prayer, keeping the traditions of authenticity and original sacredness alive. The Hill of Crosses, and cross-crafting as a whole, is a unique and constantly evolving phenomenon; hence it is important that it does not lose its traditional and sacred flare. Dr Alė Počiulpaitė Coin dedicated to the Hill of Crosses (cross-crafting is inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity)

Denomination: €2 On the edge of the coin: LAISVĖ * VIENYBĖ * GEROVĖ (FREEDOM * UNITY * WELL-BEING)

Outer part: CuNi Inner part: CuZnNi/Ni/CuZnNi

Diameter: 25.75 mm Weight: 8.50 g

Mintage: 500,000 pcs, of which 5,000 coins Common side designe are BU quality in a numismatic package by Luc Luycx

Issued in 2020 National side designed by Rytas Jonas Belevičius

Information at the Bank of Lithuania: Lithuanian Commemorative Coins +370 5 268 0316 © Lietuvos bankas, 2020 [email protected] Coins photographed by Arūnas Baltėnas www.lb.lt Purchase at: www.coins.lb.lt Brochure designed by Liudas Parulskis Photo credits: Ramūnas Virkutis, Mečislovas Sakalauskas

Printed by UAB INDIGO print Coins minted at www.indigoprint.lt the Lithuanian Mint Published by the Bank of Lithuania www.lithuanian-mint.lt Gedimino pr. 6, LT-01103 Vilnius