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CHRISTIAN CEMETERY UNDER THREAT IN IRAN
Deutsche Welle , Germany
Aug 8 2013
DW.DE
Mr Ahmadi* stands in front of one of the graves on a Christian
cemetery in Teheran and can't believe his eyes. There's yet another
broken tombstone. Last fall, there hadn't been a single sign of a
crack. "Bloody cold," he mumbles to himself and continues his morning
round at the graveyard.
Ahmadi has been guarding this Christian cemetery in Teheran's Darvazeh
Doulab neighborhood for the past 15 years. He watches over the huge
iron gate at the entrance and takes care of duties like cutting grass.
No one knows more about the tombstones here than he does. "Not even
the president has as many graves as I do," he says.
It's spring in the city. People hustle and bustle in the streets,
while diplomats from seven European countries have gathered at the
Austrian embassy in Teheran's wealthy north to discuss the future
of Ahmadi's cemetery, which has come under threat from the city's
construction boom.
Saving the cemetery
Doulab cemetery (photo: David Eickhoff)
Some tombstones have been severely damaged over the years The Europeans
have decided to save the graveyard. "Something needs to be done",
says Miklos Karpati, a Catholic priest in Teheran. According to
reports by the Christian Iranian news agency Mohabat there have been
numerous cases of vandalism targeting Christian monuments and places
of worship in Iran.
"This kind of destruction is not exceptional. But complaints about it
just falls on deaf ears with authorities," Karpati says. That's why
they have decided to set up an internet website to inform the public.
Narrow streets with two-story buildings covered in sandy bricks lead
up to the Doulab cemetery. The roadside ditch carries a dirty stream
full of trash from the city. Men sit in parks, stretch their legs
and spit out sunflower seed husks. Every now and then dice roll over
their backgammon board. They then move their checkers - the air is
dry and smells like exhaust fumes.
The iron gate at the cemetery squeaks loudly as Ahmadi opens it. He
sticks out his head, his smile reveals black teeth. Siavesh Rastegar
came here to visit the grave of his grandmother. He enters the cemetery
and Ahmadi shuts the door behind him.
Rastegar works as an architect; he studied at the renowned
Architectural Association School of Architecture in London and has
done research on the cemetery's history.
"The first burial was in 1855," he says. "Dr Louis Cloquet, a
Frenchman, he was the personal physician for [Iranian King] Nasereddin
Shah. And since there was no cemetery for Catholics at the time,
the shah built him a mausoleum." Europeans were highly regarded in
Iran at the time. The royal court wanted to profit from technical
advances and the sciences. Differences in terms of religion were not
a problem at all.
Doulab cemetery (photo: David Eickhoff)Investors' plans want to
convert the graveyard into a park instead
Investors' plans want to convert the graveyard into a park instead
Until 1996, the cemetery was used by Christian parishes and
eventually covered an area the size of seven soccer pitches. The
city's authorities then pulled the cemetery's license - now, it runs
the risk of slowly rotting away.
Part of Iran's national heritage
Ahmadi takes Rastegar to the newly discovered broken tombstone.
"Constructors and investors have cast an eye on this piece of land.
There are plans to convert this area into a park. But this cemetery
is part of [Iran's] national cultural heritage and is protected. But
we are in Iran," Rastegar says, suggesting that anything could happen.
The cemetery's five sections host deceased from different Christian
confessions: Armenian-Catholic, Armenian-Gregorian, Assyrian-Chaldean,
Orthodox and Roman Catholic. They all used to be part of a religious
minority when they were still alive. But most of the Iranians don't
distinguish between the groups - they call the Doulab cemetery "the
Armenian cemetery," even though numerous Europeans, Russians and
Georgians have been buried there as well.
Doulab cemetery (photo: David Eickhoff)
Since the autorities revoked the permit, the Doulab cemetery is
slowly rotting away Ahmadi sits in front of his small hut. He boiled
rice and now eats his dish with a piece of bread - despite the fact
that it's the fasting month of Ramadan. Outside, on the streets,
the loudspeaker cracks as the muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.
Ahmadi ignores the call and continues to watch his dogs while they play
around. He is of Muslim belief, but it's been a while since he paid a
visit to one of the mosques. Dealing with Christians and foreigners,
maybe his exceptional profession as well, have turned him into a quirky
outsider. Whenever someone comes to visit him at work, it's usually
guards from the other cemetery districts or a couple of conscripts
from the nearby barracks who come here to repair their motorcycles.
Behind closed doors
Recognized religious minorities in Iran are not allowed to evangelize.
They usually hold their rituals behind closed doors. This discretion
comes with privileges that the Muslim majority doesn't have. The
Armenian clubs in Teheran for instance are popular meeting points
for Armenians and foreigners, because alcohol can be served here and
people are allowed to dance. Muslims are not allowed to enter though.
Ahmadi says he has heard from such places in Teheran where women
without headscarves are sunbathing on deckchairs. This sounds promising
to him, but he has never dared to ask visitors if it's actually true.
There are about 2,500 Iranian and European Catholics buried here
Reality in an Armenian club is much more modest than Ahmadi imagined:
Tables and chairs are placed on red concrete; visitors sit right
under grape-vines. There's a sun-tanned piano man in a white suit and
a pink tie; some guest are dressed in evening attire, some have put
sweaters around their shoulders. They chat and joke over veal tongue
and red wine. People coming here certainly want to indulge in food
and the atmosphere.
One of these people might be buried in Ahmadi's cemetery some day. But
for that to happen, the city authority would have to renew the permit.
There would be enough space - Karpati, the Christian priest, has
been working towards obtaining the permit for a long time. With the
embassies on board, chances might have increased. But mills grind
slowly, even in Iran.
In the meantime, yet another tombstone has fallen over in the
graveyard. Ahmadi just noticed it this morning. "Another one that's
gone," he mumbles as he continues his path.
* all names have been changed except names of public persons
Also appears in http://iranian.com/posts/view/post/18801
http://www.dw.de/christian-cemetery-under-threat-in-iran/a-17000353
Deutsche Welle , Germany
Aug 8 2013
DW.DE
Mr Ahmadi* stands in front of one of the graves on a Christian
cemetery in Teheran and can't believe his eyes. There's yet another
broken tombstone. Last fall, there hadn't been a single sign of a
crack. "Bloody cold," he mumbles to himself and continues his morning
round at the graveyard.
Ahmadi has been guarding this Christian cemetery in Teheran's Darvazeh
Doulab neighborhood for the past 15 years. He watches over the huge
iron gate at the entrance and takes care of duties like cutting grass.
No one knows more about the tombstones here than he does. "Not even
the president has as many graves as I do," he says.
It's spring in the city. People hustle and bustle in the streets,
while diplomats from seven European countries have gathered at the
Austrian embassy in Teheran's wealthy north to discuss the future
of Ahmadi's cemetery, which has come under threat from the city's
construction boom.
Saving the cemetery
Doulab cemetery (photo: David Eickhoff)
Some tombstones have been severely damaged over the years The Europeans
have decided to save the graveyard. "Something needs to be done",
says Miklos Karpati, a Catholic priest in Teheran. According to
reports by the Christian Iranian news agency Mohabat there have been
numerous cases of vandalism targeting Christian monuments and places
of worship in Iran.
"This kind of destruction is not exceptional. But complaints about it
just falls on deaf ears with authorities," Karpati says. That's why
they have decided to set up an internet website to inform the public.
Narrow streets with two-story buildings covered in sandy bricks lead
up to the Doulab cemetery. The roadside ditch carries a dirty stream
full of trash from the city. Men sit in parks, stretch their legs
and spit out sunflower seed husks. Every now and then dice roll over
their backgammon board. They then move their checkers - the air is
dry and smells like exhaust fumes.
The iron gate at the cemetery squeaks loudly as Ahmadi opens it. He
sticks out his head, his smile reveals black teeth. Siavesh Rastegar
came here to visit the grave of his grandmother. He enters the cemetery
and Ahmadi shuts the door behind him.
Rastegar works as an architect; he studied at the renowned
Architectural Association School of Architecture in London and has
done research on the cemetery's history.
"The first burial was in 1855," he says. "Dr Louis Cloquet, a
Frenchman, he was the personal physician for [Iranian King] Nasereddin
Shah. And since there was no cemetery for Catholics at the time,
the shah built him a mausoleum." Europeans were highly regarded in
Iran at the time. The royal court wanted to profit from technical
advances and the sciences. Differences in terms of religion were not
a problem at all.
Doulab cemetery (photo: David Eickhoff)Investors' plans want to
convert the graveyard into a park instead
Investors' plans want to convert the graveyard into a park instead
Until 1996, the cemetery was used by Christian parishes and
eventually covered an area the size of seven soccer pitches. The
city's authorities then pulled the cemetery's license - now, it runs
the risk of slowly rotting away.
Part of Iran's national heritage
Ahmadi takes Rastegar to the newly discovered broken tombstone.
"Constructors and investors have cast an eye on this piece of land.
There are plans to convert this area into a park. But this cemetery
is part of [Iran's] national cultural heritage and is protected. But
we are in Iran," Rastegar says, suggesting that anything could happen.
The cemetery's five sections host deceased from different Christian
confessions: Armenian-Catholic, Armenian-Gregorian, Assyrian-Chaldean,
Orthodox and Roman Catholic. They all used to be part of a religious
minority when they were still alive. But most of the Iranians don't
distinguish between the groups - they call the Doulab cemetery "the
Armenian cemetery," even though numerous Europeans, Russians and
Georgians have been buried there as well.
Doulab cemetery (photo: David Eickhoff)
Since the autorities revoked the permit, the Doulab cemetery is
slowly rotting away Ahmadi sits in front of his small hut. He boiled
rice and now eats his dish with a piece of bread - despite the fact
that it's the fasting month of Ramadan. Outside, on the streets,
the loudspeaker cracks as the muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.
Ahmadi ignores the call and continues to watch his dogs while they play
around. He is of Muslim belief, but it's been a while since he paid a
visit to one of the mosques. Dealing with Christians and foreigners,
maybe his exceptional profession as well, have turned him into a quirky
outsider. Whenever someone comes to visit him at work, it's usually
guards from the other cemetery districts or a couple of conscripts
from the nearby barracks who come here to repair their motorcycles.
Behind closed doors
Recognized religious minorities in Iran are not allowed to evangelize.
They usually hold their rituals behind closed doors. This discretion
comes with privileges that the Muslim majority doesn't have. The
Armenian clubs in Teheran for instance are popular meeting points
for Armenians and foreigners, because alcohol can be served here and
people are allowed to dance. Muslims are not allowed to enter though.
Ahmadi says he has heard from such places in Teheran where women
without headscarves are sunbathing on deckchairs. This sounds promising
to him, but he has never dared to ask visitors if it's actually true.
There are about 2,500 Iranian and European Catholics buried here
Reality in an Armenian club is much more modest than Ahmadi imagined:
Tables and chairs are placed on red concrete; visitors sit right
under grape-vines. There's a sun-tanned piano man in a white suit and
a pink tie; some guest are dressed in evening attire, some have put
sweaters around their shoulders. They chat and joke over veal tongue
and red wine. People coming here certainly want to indulge in food
and the atmosphere.
One of these people might be buried in Ahmadi's cemetery some day. But
for that to happen, the city authority would have to renew the permit.
There would be enough space - Karpati, the Christian priest, has
been working towards obtaining the permit for a long time. With the
embassies on board, chances might have increased. But mills grind
slowly, even in Iran.
In the meantime, yet another tombstone has fallen over in the
graveyard. Ahmadi just noticed it this morning. "Another one that's
gone," he mumbles as he continues his path.
* all names have been changed except names of public persons
Also appears in http://iranian.com/posts/view/post/18801
http://www.dw.de/christian-cemetery-under-threat-in-iran/a-17000353