RE-BURYING THE DEAD AND THE BURIED

Gibrahayer Nicosia  25 March-Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra
 katoomba@cytanet.com.cy-Members of the Armenian community of
Cyprus,  joined Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian accompanied by
clergies and deacons of the Armenian Church, in a solemn ceremony for
the reburial of the remains of 9 identified and 32 unidentified
Armenians previously exhumed. They were laid to rest, in accordance to
the rites of the Armenian Apostolic Church, last Sunday, 22 March
2009.

            Cypress trees were also planted on the
grounds of the cemetery, with many, kindly participating in the
throwing of soil with shovels.

            Before and after the ceremony, we
wandered through the cemetery grounds, located between the Law Courts
and the Wolseley Barracks, right next to the UN Buffer Zone. For me it
was a journey through time, as we were able to see the historical
tombstones, most of which dated to the late 19th and the early 20th
centuries. The majority of the graves belonged to deghatsi families;
indeed, some of the inscribed surnames  are apparently uncommon
today. Others were hard to read, because of the decay of the marble.

            My company were puzzled why Latin
writing was found on some tombs located to the north part of the
cemetery, but then I reminded them that it is customary to bury
Armenian Catholics to the right part of a cemetery, Armenian
Protestants to the left, and the Apostolics in the centre.  With
works expected to complete in about a month, an obelisk (houshagotogh)
will be bearing the names of the 463 buried there since 1877,
including the ones whose graves are still intact.

            The old Armenian cemetery appears to
have been in use as a burial ground since the 15th century, but
according to records of the Armenian Prelature it was officially
registered as a cemetery in 1877. The wall and the gate were erected
in 1888, and the Sourp Boghos chapel was built in 1892, in memory of
the cemetery’s benefactor, Boghos Odadjian, a Bolsetsi. Due to the
increase of ge number of refugees who fled to Cyprus – a new plot was
purchased to the west of Ayios Dhometios. The last burial, carried out
in 1931, was the 9-months old Bedros Aynedjian.

            In 1963, because of the widening of
Shakespeare street, about 100 graves had to be demolished and their
remains were trans-located to the Ayios Dhometios cemetery. After the
inter-communal troubles in 1963-1964, the historical cemetery was
abandoned due to its proximity to the buffer zone. Ironically, in 1974
the Ayios Dhometios cemetery fell within the buffer zone; for burials,
a special permission was required 24 hours in advance, with a limited
number of mourners attending. After the efforts of MP Vartkes
Mahdessian, visits there are allowed every Sunday. In 1998 the new
cemetery was built, to the north of Lakatamia-Ayii Trimithias road.

            The Sourp Boghos chapel has been
restored, its roof has been renovated, and the commemorative plaque in
front of the door replaced, however it still needs painting on the
inside. As of  this year, a small service will be held there on the
Sunday following Easter. We look forward to the completion of the
restoration works for the cemetery, hoping it will become a gem for
the region and the community.