Global True Lithuania Encyclopedia of Lithuanian heritage worldwide

Colorado

While Colorado had Lithuanians for many decades, only in 2021 did it receive its first Lithuanian landmark. A traditional Lithuanian sun-cross was built at the Regina Caeli Hermitage in order to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Lithuanian-American Community of Colorado.

Lithuanian Cross of Colorado

The cross was made by Arvidas Jarašius. Colorado never had a Lithuanian church, club, camp, or cemetery. Therefore, the initial idea was to construct the cross in a public park of Denver but, cross being not just an ethnic tradition but also a Christian religious symbol, this was not permitted by the authorities. An opportunity for a location arose when a Lithuanian priest Francis of Child Jesus Nekrošius, C.S.J., was appointed as the steward of Regina Caeli hermitage.

Regina Caeli Hermitage

The hermitage itself is owned by Brothers of St. John who had acquired it from its founder priest Roger Mollison in 2002. It is a secluded natural area filled with a few buildings (for spending a night, meetings) and various walking paths. The Mollison's original purpose for the hermitage was a place for helping teenagers addicted to drugs. Brothers of St. John to purchased the hermitage to have a space for initial formation, as the novices of this order have to spend two months in the so-called "desert" far away from everything. However, now Regina Caeli is primarily used for recollections and as a calm space to stay for Christians, as it includes many Christian symbols, crosses, and spaces to enjoy nature and reflect. The Lithuanian cross near the parking lot is the only ethnic monument.