On a walk about town the other day, I had the pleasure of visiting not one cemetery but two! In keeping with tradition of trying to visit a cemetery in each destination, I managed to double up. The derelict Ottoman Cemetery & Paphos Cemetery are near each other but remarkably different.
Ottoman Cemetery
This Ottoman Cemetery is perhaps the older of the two and other than a very small section in one area, seems to be completely vandalized and abandoned. There are no paths left, no caretakers, and most graves are crumbling or broken to bits.
Located on Makariou III Ave, this plot of land is now a dusty dried out remnant of what I think it once was. The newest burial date I found was 2007, although at the back, I can see what looks like more recent graves but all writing is in Arabic. Some appear to not be ‘official’ burials, but rather done by a lay person as they are a heap of dirt with a chunk of concrete to mark the space.
Of the older stones, the most common dates in English were from the 1950’s. Some graves have been opened and are empty when peering down inside. Others still seem sealed and more still have just been bashed to bits. Headstones are strewn here and there with abandon.
I was uneasy walking around this space. There is virtually no cover, it is not peaceful. There are businesses and apartment buildings on all sides. Graffiti adorns some of the stones, and there is such an enormous feeling of sadness here.
Paphos Cemetery
Located near Old Town and probably a 15 minute walk from the Ottoman is Paphos Cemetery. With over 2400 burials this is the largest in the area.
There are two entrances, a few wide paths but mostly smaller rather broken paths. The graves are crammed in, with nary a few inches between them in some places.
Most are made of white marble, however black marble seems to be used more frequently in the newer graves.
Oddities
Things that I found unusual here compared to any where else I have visited were firstly the lanterns. Most garbage cans were filled with dark plastic bottles. At first I thought these were water bottles, but upon further realization discovered they are for kerosene oil. Many of the graves had an actively burning lantern at one end. Walking around, one can smell the burning oil in the air.
The second feature I have never seen before were large free standing incense burners. When I passed one that someone had recently lit, the smell was divine. The fragrance wafting through the trees was incredibly beautiful. Peering inside, I can see small bowls that appeared to have burnt pieces of frankincense inside.
Third unusual sight was the etching of the deceased image onto the tombstone. And not just the face, but many were holding objects like a microphone? Hmmm.
Paphos Cemetery is a beautiful spot, full of shade from tall trees. The graves have been lovingly adorned with flowers, plants, toys, stuffies and other objects of love. This reminded me most of the Mexican graves that are similarly covered with items. I could tell these graves are frequently visited, the grounds are cared for and the environment is one of peace and tranquility.
