The Holy Mount Grabarka is an important place for pilgrimages by Orthodox believers in Poland. On the mount, amongst the trees, stand a church and a monastery, built after the last war but tracing its beginnings to the 18th century. After a fire in 1990 it was rebuilt in its original form. The housing of the stream was also rebuilt at the same time. The vast number of crosses arranged on the hill is a remarkable sight which now has the name Hill of Crosses.

Each year during the Orthodox Feast of Transfiguration, celebrated in August, further crosses are added by the faithful pilgrims. The number is estimated at over 10,000. The legend why the crosses are put up here dates back to 1710 when an epidemic broke out in Podlaskie Province. The residents of Siemiatycze hid in the woods where one had a vision during which he heard that salvation only lies in taking a cross to Mount Grabarka.

The ones who were saved by taking part in the procession built a chapel in gratitude on the hill and brought more crosses. The crosses are concentrated in a relatively small area. Some are large, several metres high, and some are small, but all have inscriptions in Polish and in Russian.

Holy Mount Grabarka (woj. Podlaskie)

www.grabarka.pl