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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The Unusual Merry Cemetery of Sepintsa

Cemeteries are for 'quiet' people, so they say. A place for departed love ones to rest where once sadness were written all over the faces for those left behind. Where it is assumed to remember the dead and mourn over their graves. But what if a cemetery exemplifies a festive place, wouldn't you be surprised? Take the case of Cimitirul Vesel -- the World's merriest cemetery.

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The Merry Cemetery (Romanian: Cimitirul Vesel) in the small village of Sepintsa (Săpânţa)in northern Romania is quite unusual. A national tourist attraction, this local graveyard is known for its colorful tombstones decorated by a wooden marker with naïve paintings and painted polychrome scenes, describing, in an original and poetic manner, the persons that are buried there. Most of these markings were originally created by Ioan Stan Patras.

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This work of art started in 1935, when the 14-year-old boy named John Petrish Stan, a local artist, who carved the first tombstone crosses. As of 1960s, more than 800 of such oak wood epitaph came into sight. began to carve crosses for the local cemetery. He would wander through the streets of Sapanta, taking notes about his neighbors.

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When they died, he would have another chance to tell his tales through its colorful crosses and a darkly-humorous poem — from their drinking habits to their adulterous relationships. There’s no point in hiding secrets in this community, so people’s lives are captured honestly in their epitaphs.

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The epitaphs are written in a local dialect. The crosses are made out of oak and painted with symbolic colors. Each cross stands about five feet high.

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Also, colors symbolizes certain thing; the red color represent passion, green - life, yellow color - fertility, and black – death. Thus, the black bird symbolizes a tragic and sudden death. Patras used a specific blue as background color which to him represented hope, freedom, and the sky over his hometown.

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As death is catching up with him, he passed on his skills to Dumitru Popa. Before he died in 1977, he carved out his own cross and left a funny but touching message for the world. Patras created more than 600 crosses over a period of 40 years. Translated in English, here is Stan Ion Patras message:

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Since I was a little boy
I was known as Stan Ion Pătraş
Listen to me, fellows
There are no lies in what I am going to say

All along my life
I meant no harm to anyone
But did good as much as I could
To anyone who asked

Oh, my poor World
Because It was hard living in it



33 comments:

  1. Ha?!? sabi ng matatanda, pangit daw mag "wow" sa sementeryo dahil baka ikaw ang susunod na titira sa sementeryo...but this kind of cemetery, di ko mapigilan ang mag "wow" waaaaaaa...kakaiba

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    1. Hahaha! I was LOL on Mamikat's comment. Akala ko naman sasabihin ni Rose kung kaganyan kaganda ang sementeryo, di nakakatakot mamatay. Waaahhh!

      First time to witness such a grand cemetery, Papaleng. Bongga!

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  2. Kung ganyan kaganda ang lahat ng cemetery, di nakakatakot bumisita hehehe.

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  3. Beautiful cemetery at very artistic pa! I like the art. I agree with Rose, it's a nice place to visit dahil hindi nakakatakot ang ambiance.

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  4. I hope someone can pull off this kind of cemetery here in our country. It wouldn't be a scary place to visit. :D

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  5. This is very nice, no wonder it was why a happy cemetery due to the decoration of their grave stone

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  6. This definitely takes the scare factor away from cemeteries. This is actually a good idea.

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  7. This takes away the scare factor in cemeteries and is actually a good idea.

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  8. That's a very colorful cemetery. Festive. Different cultures have really different ways to celebrate death,

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  9. that is just amazing! such a great idea for cemeteries i guess philippines should copy this since wehave colourful fiesta and all and it will reminds us good times with our loved ones when we visit them.

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  10. That is unusual indeed! Very colorful! It takes away the feeling of being scared, especially in your alone moments.

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  11. This is a very unique way of remembering a dead loved one.

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  12. i love this idea. i will definitely love to stay in the cemetery surrounded by this beautiful work of arts. will just hope that when i take a photo, no spirit will be captured. LOL!!!

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  13. I've never seen a cemetery this colorful. I think it's a good way of celebrating the life of the departed rather than mourning.

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  14. Amusing! I've only heard about this one. Haha masama ba na natuwa ako? haha it's really a unique one.

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  15. Very colorful which is really nice, kasi the place of the dead love ones shouldn't be look blant but rather more cheerful in order to keep us remind about the awesome life we have with them.

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  16. wow, the tombstones are all work of art! no doubt they'll attract visitors to admire their workmanship, but still.... a cemetery will be the last place i'll want to visit to admire art pieces.

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  17. Oh, you got to my country. I visited this Cemetery - The Merry Cemetery in Sapanta - a while ago (and wrote a comprehensive article on my blog as well). As a side note, many of the lyrics on the crosses are not happy stories...

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  18. Wow all these tombstones are intricate and artsy. It makes for a really cool cemetery. I think the "dead" if it matters, will love it that their final resting place is at least a happy place.

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  19. Thanks for showing this, its very peaceful and also divine here. The colors are vibrant too.

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  20. A very unique cemetery and a very kid art like designs? Great to see such place like that you would feel any weird feeling

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  21. What a beautiful, unique cemetery! I have a strange fascination with cemeteries and this one is so unique.

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  22. This is a very very very unqiue cemetery indeed. I guess it goes well with the saying about how you want your loved ones to have good and happy memories rather than sad ones when you leave the world! thanks for sharing!

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  23. Such a very beautiful cemetery. If all cemetery would look like this, it would be less creepy!

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  24. Well, well, a cemetery that can come up to par with museums when it comes to aesthetics. Ang ganda! Why don't all cemeteries look as good as this? It wouldn't hurt!

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  25. Wow this seems to be a good place. It's a very unique cemetery. :) Its so far from holloween specials.. hehe

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  26. These are really lovely tombstones for cemetery. This also features a part of the life of the departed.

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  27. Beautiful but also creepy... Hmmm~ Thanks for the sharing.

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  28. so beautiful! I can almost believe that it won't be too scary at night! I love the little translated message - such a cute, cheery message :)

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  29. That is one clorful cemetery. It is so neat and organized as well.

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  30. 14 year old artist conceptualized this! So colorful. What a beautiful way to remember and pay homage to our dearly departed.

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  31. Will it be weird if I say this cemetery looks really cool? Can't help it 'çoz it is.

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  32. If all cemeteries in the world were as merry and festive as this one in Romania, then more people would be enticed to visit their departed loved ones not just on Halloween but any time of the year.

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