Two men have been fined for hiking at night in Tatra National Park in Southern Poland to light up a cross in memory of the late Polish Pope, John Paul II. Hiking after dark in the park is banned for safety reasons and to prevent disruption to local fauna.
On April 2, the men entered the park and climbed the Giewont mountain, the highest peak in the area with an elevation of 6,214ft (1,894m), to reach the 57ft (17.5m) tall cross.
At 9.37pm, the time of John Paul II’s death in 2005, they shone bright battery lamps on the structure, Notes From Poland reported.
"Dzisiaj dziękowałem Bogu za to, że wasi przodkowie na Giewoncie wznieśli Krzyż. Ten Krzyż patrzy na całą Polskę, od Tatr do Bałtyku. Ten Krzyż mówi całej Polsce: "Sursum corda!" - W górę serca" 💙 Jan Paweł II, Zakopane, 6 czerwca 1997 💙 Zdjęcie z dziś za Tatromaniak pic.twitter.com/aVAOE9ibsFApril 2, 2025
The men have been fined 500 Zloty ($133) each by the park authorities. But the fines have been criticized by locals and people on social media who are disappointed the cross wasn't illuminated as it has been in the past on the anniversary. According to Notes From Poland, supporters have offered the culprits financial help to cover their fines.
“We understand the symbolism and the intentions of those who took this action, but that cannot be an excuse for breaking the rules,” park director Szymon Ziobrowski told the Polish Press Agency.
“We do not plan to change the rules in response to media pressure or emotional comments. On the contrary, we plan to increase night-time surveillance, especially during periods when there have been violations of the regulations in the past,” he said.
The cross has been at the centre of safety concerns in the past. In 2019 four people died and 100 were injured during a lightning storm in the Tatra Mountains. Most of the casualties were on the summit of Giewont where the metal cross conducted one of the biggest bolts.
After lightning yesterday killed four hikers, some are blaming the famous steel cross on top of Great Giewont mountain and calling for it to be removed. The head of the mountain rescue service confirms that it 'increases the risk' of lightning strikes https://t.co/rbvMU7ubJQAugust 23, 2019
The electric current was said to have travelled along metal hand railings, striking people as it did, causing them to let go and fall. Mountain rescuers reported cases of severe burns and head injuries.
Tatra National Park is located in the south of Poland in the Tatra Mountains. It borders with Tatra National Park in Slovakia and is home to protected floral and fauna, including the Alpine marmot and Tatra marmot, the brown bear, Eurasian lynx and gray wolf.
From April until the end of November all trails are closed from dusk until dawn.
Stay safe when hiking at twilight
Sunset hikes can be magical, when the trails are quiet and nature puts on a spectacular show. But when the sun sets it's good to be prepared for the change in light:
- Make sure trails are open and you're legally allowed to access them after dark.
- Trails look different in the dark so bring a spare battery for your phone, a light source, a map and compass to avoid getting lost.
- Use trekking poles for testing the ground when you can’t see where you’re going.
- Wildlife is more active at dusk so research the area and be prepared to for an encounter. Know your wildlife safety, and hike with friends if you're entering mountain lion or bear zones.
- Be prepared for temperatures to drop and pack warm layers such as a down jacket and hat. An emergency blanket is also a good idea.
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