Thursday, 3 December 2020

1581) "Hill of Crosses," Lithuania: A $2 (Two Dollars) Circulating Commemorative Coin features the famous pilgrimage site in Lithuania: Year of Coin issue: 2020:

1581) "Hill of Crosses," Lithuania: A $2 (Two Dollars) Circulating Commemorative Coin features the famous pilgrimage site in Lithuania: Year of Coin issue: 2020:

The Reverse of the $2 (Two Dollars) circulating commemorative coin placed against a backdrop of the "Hill of Crosses"

The "Hill of Crosses" in Lithuania (known as the Jurgaiciai Mound) is a major Catholic pilgrimage site located in the Northern part of Lithuania, about 12 kilometres (7.46 miles) to the North of Siauliai (the 4th largest city in Lithuania), near the village of Jurgaiciai.

Since Lithuania's Independence from Russia during the beginning of the 20th Century, the "Hill of Crosses" has become a pilgrimage site. Although this sacred site has been visited by countless pilgrims over the decades, its status was further enhanced in 1993, following a visit by Pope John Paul II.

The first Crosses on the "Hill of Crosses" were erected shortly after the November Uprising (1830-1831). During this conflict, Lithuania fought against the Russian Empire in an attempt to gain its  independence. After crushing the uprising, the victorious Russians prohibited the dead freedom fighters from being properly honoured by their families.

As such, the family and friends of these freedom fighters began erecting crosses on the "Hill of Crosses", the earliest reference to which dates back to 1850.

Another Uprising against the Russians - known as the "January Uprising" began in 1863 and ended in 1864. Though the freedom fighters were once more unsuccessful in their struggle for independence, there was a surge in the erection of crosses on the "Hill of Crosses", particularly in defiance of the Russian authorities banning the setting up of crosses not only by the side of roads, but also in cemeteries.

By the end of the 19th Century several hundreds more crosses had been installed on the holy mound.

In 1940, during World War II,  Lithuania came under Soviet Union occupation, who were dislodged by the Germans in 1941, but the Russians returned again in 1944 and occupied Lithuania until 1991, which witnessed the disintegration of the USSR.

In 1961, the crosses on the hill were destroyed by the authorities. The wooden ones were burned, the metal ones were melted and reused as scrap metal, and the stone and concrete ones crushed and used for road construction. Nevertheless, this act not only failed to crush the spirit of the Lithuanians, but it further strengthened their resolve, as they began rebuilding their sacred space once again on the Hill.

In the following decades, the Soviet authorities again tried to destroy the "Hill of Crosses". 

Some of their actions were direct. For example, between 1973 and 1975, about 500 crosses were destroyed each year.

Some indirect methods were also employed by the Soviets - crosses were destroyed ,supposedly, since they had no "artistic value" and pilgrims were forbidden to visit the site due to "epidemics". Yet again, these actions failed, as crosses would be secretly erected at night.

During the Soviet era, the setting up of crosses was prohibited, and the "Hill of Crosses" became a forbidden place - as it was regarded as opposed to the Soviet ideology.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the persecution stopped and the "Hill of Crosses" became a symbol of Lithuania.

                              A view of the "Hill of Crosses"

Presently thousands of pilgrims visit the "Hill of Crosses" every year from all over the world. There are over 400,000 Crosses on the Hill in memory of Lithuanian freedom fighters who fought for Lithuanian independence from the Soviet Union.

The Coin:

The Reverse and Obverse of the circulating commemorative coin placed side-by-side

The Reverse of the $2 (Two Dollars) Circulating Commemorative Coin depicts the famous "Hill of Crosses" site, the design showing fragments of wooden and forged crosses symbolising Lithuanian cross-crafting and folk culture. 

The coin's outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European Flag.

The common Obverse of the $2 (Two Dollars) Circulating Commemorative Coin shows a Map of the European Union (EU).

The specifications of this coin are:

Coin Theme: "Hill of Crosses," Lithuania; Denomination: 2 Euro; Metal Composition: Bimetallic - (Outer ring) Copper-Aluminum-Nickel, (Inner Core) - Copper-Nickel; Edge: Lettered - "FREEDOM, UNITY, WELL-BEING"; Mintage: 500,000 Circulation coins, 5000 Collector coins; Coin Quality: Circulation and Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) for Collectors; Weight: 8.5 grams; Diameter/Size: 25.75 mm; Year: 2020; Designer: Rytas Jonas Belevicius. 







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