Tribulation of the bodies of the dead to the earth is a tradition of most religions of the world. Over the years of the existence of civilization, the planet was covered with a network of "cities of the dead", where billions of the dead found refuge. Where is the world's largest cemetery located? This article is devoted to the answer to this question.
Sacred place of three religions
The Old Testament calls the place of the Last Judgment the Jehoshaphat Valley, revered by both Christians and Jews and Muslims. The burial place of King Jehoshaphat is located in the east of Jerusalem, which is crossed from north to south by the Kidron (Josaphat) Valley, 35 kilometers long. Along its bottom flows the Kidron Stream, whose purest waters flow into the Dead Sea. There is more than one cemetery for representatives of three religions. The Kidron Valley is famous for the Hebrew, where they are carved into the rock:
- Tomb of Absalom (I-II centuries BC).
- Tombs of Jehoshaphat and Zechariah, sons of Khezir.
- Bnei Khazir family burial.
Christians in the valley have their own holy places - the tomb of the Apostle James and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
About a million people found their refuge here. It is believed that the deceased in the Kidron Valley will be the first to meet with the Almighty, so burial places are extremely expensive - from $ 1 million. The Hebrew cemetery is multi-layered: in each section, the graves of representatives of different eras are placed one above the other. The nobility were buried in crypts that have survived to this day. Despite the fact that the places in the cemetery were bought up for many years in advance, it is not the largest in the world.
Western Hemisphere: Golgotha Cemetery
Three million people are buried in New York. The cemetery bears the name of Mount Golgotha and is divided into four sectors, remote from each other. It was founded by Catholics in 1848. The day before, after a terrible cholera epidemic, the authorities were forced to allow burials outside the city, which at that time consisted of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Non-profit organizations were allowed to own private cemeteries, which led to their commercialization. After the growth of the city of Calvary, it ended up on the territory of the area called Queens. On its lands today there are 29 "cities of the dead" with a population of five million, which is twice the number of inhabitants of the region.
But it's not the biggest cemetery in the world. It is the largest in the Western Hemisphere and is known for the fact that it is here that the most famous people of New York are buried: from mayors to gangsters. Don Corleone ("The Godfather" by F. Coppola) was also “buried” here.
Military cemetery
Graves of John F. Kennedyand his widow, John Dulles, dead astronauts and other prominent US personalities are on a military graveyard in the suburbs of Washington. Founded in 1865, Arlington Cemetery was intended for soldiers who died during the Civil War. Over time, the rules of burial began to be regulated by the US authorities, who turned the necropolis into one of the most honorable places. Arlington Cemetery is for members of the military and their families, as well as individuals with national merit.
Today it has about 320 thousand graves, but its territory is one of the most significant in the world (two and a half square kilometers). The example shows that prolonged hostilities are the reason for the growth of the "city of the dead".
Most Warring State
The Middle East is the most complex ethno-religious region, where Kurds do not have their own state, and Sunnis and Shiites interpret Islam differently. Sunnism is the prerogative of the Arabs, and Shiism is the prerogative of the Persians, although there are many exceptions. ISIS militants profess Sunnism, which was favored by the regime of Saddam Hussein. Thirteen years have passed since the beginning of the American operation in Iraq, but today it is already clear to everyone that the occupation of the country was illegal. This is an act of direct aggression that did not end with the withdrawal of troops in 2010. By supporting the Shiites, the Americans provoked a serious civil war, a series of terrorist attacks and a surge in violence.
It is easy to guess that the world's largest cemetery is located on the territory of Iraq, drawn intobloody slaughter. The southern city of An-Najaf, sacred to Shiites, annually receives millions of pilgrims, second only to Mecca and Medina in their number. It is here that the "city of the dead" is located, the first burials of which date back to the 7th century AD.
Wadi al-Salam in Najaf
The name of the cemetery is known to any Muslim. Here is buried the first imam - Ali, whose worship is one of the disagreements between Sunnis and Shiites. The son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad is included in the shahada of every Shia. That is why any representative of this religion dreams of resting next to a friend of Allah. Believers talk about miracles happening at the cemetery. The chosen one is the spirit of the imam, in whose return and fair rule in the future everyone believes. Hundreds of soldiers and civilians are buried daily in a gigantic area of more than six square kilometers.
Before they die, the Shiites bequeath to relatives in any corner of the country to transport their bodies to An-Najaf. The literal translation of the name of the cemetery sounds like "valley of death", where there is a burial place on every square meter. It is believed that more than 6 million people have found their last resting place here.
War Years
Since 2003, when the Americans invaded Iraq, the rebels hid among the tombs, hoping for the help of Allah. In 2004, real battles took place on its territory, leaving destruction and craters from explosions. These days, up to 250-300 people were buried. All rituals were observed even under the threat of shelling. The bodies were washed and wrapped in a white shroud. Funeral prayers were recited inthe tomb of Ali, after which the deceased were carried around the mausoleum of Imam Mahdi three times. The tombstones were sprinkled with holy water, which is constantly lined up at the entrance to the mausoleum.
The cemetery has never been shelled, the order in it is provided by federal services. Soldiers are also buried here, but their graves are under the protection of religion. At the stone slabs, relatives who come from all over Iraq read the Koran. In the mausoleum of Imam Mahdi, an obligatory prayer is performed every Thursday - prayer.
Interesting facts
- It is curious that in An-Najaf itself, the population is less than a million people, while the "Valley of Death" exceeds it by 6-7 times. No one is able to name the exact number of the dead.
- The density of burials is contrary to sanitary standards, but this does not prevent the cemetery from remaining active.
- UNESCO proposed to include burials in the list of sites of major global importance. This was opposed by the American command, demanding to postpone the decision. It has not been accepted yet.
- The graves are made of plaster and burnt bricks. The local rich build family crypts, including underground ones, where long stairs lead.
- If a Muslim was interred elsewhere, this is not a contraindication for reburial in Najab.
- Tombs from the 1930s and 1940s stand out from others thanks to their 3m high rounded spiers.
Afterword
The world's largest cemetery has grown by 40% as a result of military operations in recent years. This confirms the hypothesis that such a size of the "city of the dead" is impossible in a peaceful, calm region. War is the main evil that turns the territory of the countries of the Middle East into a place where there are more dead than alive.
