When I decided to come to Siauliai for my EVS project, I searched in Google the word "Siauliai". Pictures of Hill Of Crosses were the first thing that I saw about this small city. My belief is Christianity, In fact Armenia is the first, who accepted Christianity as a state religion in 301. But the Hill Of Crosses was really strange place for me. I can't describe the feeling,. It was not a fear, maybe more something mystic. At least, I've arrived here and in conversations with my Lithuanian friends I was asking about that Hill. I think all of you know about the legends and stories about the Hill, so I will not tell you that :)
Soon my Armenian friend took me to Hill Of Crosses at midnight. It was moonlight and it was quiet scary!!! You could here the noise of crosses , which were moving from the wind. " Are you afraid?" -asked me my friend. "Yes, a little"-was my answer. "Don't worry, after few minutes it will be more scary"-He laughed . If I were not trust my friend I will start to scream or run away :). We were passing trough the crosses, it was dark, though it was moonlight. After passing through all crosses I felt, that fear had gone, and the feeling of peace and calmness was in my heart and soul. I was watching at the sky and feel the strong energy from the earth, from that part, where I was standing. The first impression about the fear probably was because that I associated it with cemetery. But at that moment I just realized that people are coming here to pray, they are coming to put their own crosses for their relatives, for people they love.
Soon my Armenian friend took me to Hill Of Crosses at midnight. It was moonlight and it was quiet scary!!! You could here the noise of crosses , which were moving from the wind. " Are you afraid?" -asked me my friend. "Yes, a little"-was my answer. "Don't worry, after few minutes it will be more scary"-He laughed . If I were not trust my friend I will start to scream or run away :). We were passing trough the crosses, it was dark, though it was moonlight. After passing through all crosses I felt, that fear had gone, and the feeling of peace and calmness was in my heart and soul. I was watching at the sky and feel the strong energy from the earth, from that part, where I was standing. The first impression about the fear probably was because that I associated it with cemetery. But at that moment I just realized that people are coming here to pray, they are coming to put their own crosses for their relatives, for people they love.
The good and peaceful energy were enveloped me.
"If you come here in the afternoon, the feeling will be different"-told me my friend.
Yesterday we went there in the Afternoon. Volunteers from Slovakia, Brazil, Italy, me-from Armenia, our Editor Rasa and our guide Liudas from gymnazium:) It was sunny, though it was damn cold and windy. The Hill of Crosses was different. Actually it was another Hill Of Crosses for me. There was no such mystery, or fear at first, or something else. It was peace... only peace with blue sky and green gross. I could see from faces of my friends that they have no fear, no disturbing feeling, they were peaceful.
The Hill of Crosses is an interesting kind of Church for me. When I'm disturbed, when I feel depressed, going and siting in the Church is the best way to relax and feel calm and peace. The Hill Of Crosses has something that you can't find in Church. maybe it is a nature, maybe it is because you can see the sky, maybe it's because of wind or moonlight or the sun...
Lilit Nurijanyan
P.S.
This is a "Khachkar", Armenian cross. In 2001 it was 1700 year since Armenia accepted Christianity as a state religion. So the Armenians of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn gathered and arranged this "Khachkar" in the Hill Of Crosses.
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