The Merry Cemetery is a cemetery in the The Merry Cemetery is a cemetery in the villagevillage of Săpânțaof Săpânța ,Maramureş county,Romania. It is ,Maramureş county,Romania. It is famous for its colourful tombstones famous for its colourful tombstones with naïve paintings describing, in an original and with naïve paintings describing, in an original and poetic manner, the persons that are buried there as poetic manner, the persons that are buried there as well as scenes from their lives. The Merry Cemetery well as scenes from their lives. The Merry Cemetery became an open-air museum and a national tourist became an open-air museum and a national tourist attraction. attraction.

The unusual feature of The unusual feature of this cemetery is that it this cemetery is that it diverges from the prevalent diverges from the prevalent belief, culturally shared belief, culturally shared within European societies – a within European societies – a belief that views death as belief that views death as something indelibly solemn. something indelibly solemn. Connections with the Connections with the local Dacian local Dacian culture have culture have been made, a culture whose been made, a culture whose philosophical tenets philosophical tenets presumably vouched for the presumably vouched for the immortality of the soul and immortality of the soul and the belief that death was a the belief that death was a moment filled with joy and moment filled with joy and anticipation for a better life anticipation for a better life (see also Zalmoxianism).(see also Zalmoxianism).

The cemetery's origins are linked with the name of Stan Ioan Pătraş, a local artist who sculpted the first tombstone crosses. In 1935, Pătraș carved the first epitaph and, as of 1960s, more than 800 of such oak wood crosses came into sight. The inscription on his tombstone cross says:

Romanian

De cu tînăr copilașIo am fost Stan Ion PătrașSă mă ascultaț oameni buniCe voi spune nu-s minciuniCîte zile am trăitRău la nime n-am doritDar bine cît-am pututOrișicine mia cerutVai săraca lumea meaCă greu am trăit în ea

EnglishSince I was a little boyI was known as Stan Ion PătraşListen to me, fellowsThere are no lies in what I am going to sayAll along my lifeI meant no harm to anyoneTo anyone who askedOh, my poor WorldBecause It was hard living in it

RomanianRomanianSub aceasta cruce greaSub aceasta cruce greaZace biata soacra-meaZace biata soacra-meaTrei zile de mai traiaTrei zile de mai traiaZaceam eu si cetea ea.Zaceam eu si cetea ea.Voi care treceti pa aiciVoi care treceti pa aiciIncercati sa n-o trezitiIncercati sa n-o trezitiCa acasa daca vineCa acasa daca vineIarai cu gura pa mineIarai cu gura pa mineDa asa eu m-oi purtaDa asa eu m-oi purtaCa-napoi n-a inturnaCa-napoi n-a inturnaStai aicea draga soacra-Stai aicea draga soacra-meamea

EnglishEnglishUnder this heavy crossUnder this heavy crossLies my poor mother in-lawLies my poor mother in-lawThree more days she would Three more days she would have livedhave livedI would lie, and she would I would lie, and she would read (this cross).read (this cross).You, who here are passing You, who here are passing bybyNot to wake her up please Not to wake her up please trytryCause' if she comes back Cause' if she comes back homehomeShe'll criticise me more.She'll criticise me more.But I will surely behaveBut I will surely behaveSo she'll not return from So she'll not return from grave.grave.Stay here, my dear mother Stay here, my dear mother in-law!in-law!

The Merry CemeteryThe Merry Cemetery crosses in crosses in pale blue colorpale blue color .

The tombstone of Stan The tombstone of Stan Ioan Ioan PătraşPătraş (1908 - 1977),(1908 - 1977),the Merry Cemeterycreator the Merry Cemeterycreator ..

The churcThe churchh behind the behind the Merry Merry Cemetery Cemetery ..

The gate decorated The gate decorated according to the ritual ofaccording to the ritual of MaramureşMaramureş . .