Originally published at Orange County Catholic
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
