The document discusses the Merry Cemetery located in Săpânța, Romania. It describes how the cemetery diverges from typical European views of death as solemn by featuring colorful tombstones painted with scenes from the deceased's life. The founder is identified as Stan Ioan Pătraş, a local artist who carved the first tombstone crosses in 1935. More than 800 crosses were added by the 1960s. The inscription on Pătraş's own tombstone emphasizes that he meant no harm but did good for others throughout his life.

1. University of Agronomic Science and Veterinary Medicine
Faculty of Management, Economic Engineering in
Agriculture and Rural Development
Săpânța
Coordonating teacher : Students : Olteanu Andrei
Asis. Univ. Mihai Daniel Frumuselu Bazavan Razvan
Class 8201

2. Săpânța is a commune in Maramureș County in
northern Romania, 15 kilometers northwest of Sighet
and just south of the Tisza River. It is composed of a
single village, Săpânța.
It is known for its "Merry Cemetery" and was the
original home of the Spinka dynasty of Hasidic Rebbes.

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

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

5. The founder
• 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 the
1960s, more than 800 of such oak wood
crosses came into sight.

6. The inscription on his tombstone cross
says:
• 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

7. Bibliography
• https://en.wikipedia.org