Work has begun to build Bahrain’s desperately needed third Christian Cemetery, as church leaders launch the next round of fundraising to help push the ambitious project forward.
Thanks to initial donations, the first phase of the new 2,800-square-metre-Christian Cemetery has commenced, and the Christian Community Cemeteries Committee expects the construction of the perimeter wall and gate to be completed by the end of the year.
A reception will be held on Tuesday at the Old Christian Cemetery in Manama to mark the progress so far and formally launch the latest appeal to cover the cost of a guardhouse, toilet block, storage facility and pathways.
“This project started off with a gracious and generous gift of land in Salmabad by the government, followed by 200 tonnes of sand to level the plot,” St Christopher’s Anglican Cathedral dean Reverend Dr Richard Fermer told the GDN.
“The first phase of construction, including the wall and gate, has been funded by churches and individual donors from across Bahrain and should be complete by the year-end.
“We are hoping to complete the second phase next year and then the third phase, which will include a chapel of rest in which funeral services can be conducted, can commence.”
The GDN has previously reported that the project will cost approximately BD86,000.
The committee has decided to stage the launch of the project at the original modern Christian cemetery in Bahrain which was opened in 1901 and closed in 1966.
“Building this new cemetery is really a work of charity, which we are hoping Christians and other kind-hearted people in the community can support, since it is most needed for those expatriates who may not have the financial resources to have their bodies repatriated to their home countries,” Rev’d Dr Fermer added.
“Naturalised Bahrainis like those from the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church will also be buried in this new cemetery.
“In addition, infant babies who die at or before birth, as well as non-practising Christians and those from historically Christian countries may be buried there too.”
The currently used second cemetery, also located in Salmabad, is approaching capacity and last year its central pathway was cut in half in order to create 22 new plots, and work is underway to add another 15.
Although services for each burial are handled by the respective churches, St Christopher’s Anglican Cathedral handles the overall administration for the Christian cemeteries within the Christian Community Cemeteries Committee, which is chaired by British ambassador Alastair Long.
The timing for the launch of the third cemetery project has been aligned to be shortly before All Souls Day, when the departed are honoured in many Christian faiths.
The event on Tuesday will feature a speech by the ambassador, as well as a presentation by John Luckie-Downe of the Cemetery Working Group and a closing prayer by Father Francis Joseph of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
After the formal ceremony, guests will be able to walk around the original cemetery and learn more about some of the 407 remaining graves there, which give a snapshot into Bahrain of the early 20th century.
Amongst the highlighted sections will be the memorial, built in 1994, to the victims of the Air France crash of 1950.
- For more information or to offer support to the project, contact Fozia Prince by email at cathedra@batelco.com.bh.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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