Widespread support for crematoriums

Some have been fighting for years

The construction of a crematorium in Paphos to offer an alternative to traditional -and expensive- burial services has been widely welcomed after years of fighting to get one.

Cremation has gained popularity in recent years for various reasons, from religion to environmental while it is often the most affordable option. Cyprus, together with Malta, was the last of the European countries without a crematorium despite a relevant law regulating cremations being passed in 2016.

But this is about to change as construction of the country’s first crematorium is expected to start in Paphos in April next year. The facility is estimated to begin operations in the second half of 2024.

“About time!! Now my family won’t have to ship me to Canada!” Cyprus Mail reader Sandra Tryfon said in her e-mail to the newspaper.

Cypriot Eleni Matheou, aged 33, was also thrilled with the news: “I like the idea because I never wanted to be buried in a grave. I always preferred having my body burned,” she told the Sunday Mail.

“I am happy to hear that Cyprus took this decision to work towards introducing this practice, even in 2022,” Matheou, who was baptised in a Greek Orthodox church, added.

The Orthodox church has proved to be extremely reluctant to sanction a crematorium and it was the main reason it took so long in Cyprus.

Since the first crematoriums were established in the West in the 19th century, the process has become mainstream, with many countries, including the UK, having higher cremation than burial rates.

Chair of the British cemetery Jeremy Crocker said than in his seven years of service, he has come across some Britons in particular who wished to be cremated.

“Many of the Brits are buried…but a few have asked about cremation,” he said, estimating that this is around ten per cent.

Among them, is Clive Turner, who after living in Cyprus for 17 years returned to the UK with his wife two years ago disappointed that his long fight for a crematorium was unsuccessful.

After spending years lobbying to serve the many other cultures who live on the island and are not Greek Orthodox, Turner wrote to the Cyprus Mail to express his delight after the first crematorium was given the green light.

“This is good news for so very many reasons. I am entirely certain that in short order Cyprus will soon come to recognise the worth and common sense of this decision and wish it well,” the British national said.

Until now, bodies were transferred abroad to the UK or Hungary to be cremated with costs amounting to about €5,000.

With the construction of the Paphos-based crematorium, Crocker said this will hopefully cut down the costs while it will definitely be more convenient.

The director of MW Crematorium Cyprus Ltd, Maureen Watt, confirmed that carrying out the cremation locally will be cheaper.

“The crematorium is important for Cyprus as it will offer the island’s community the choice of either burial or cremation.”

This can also save the expenses of repatriation when cremation was done abroad, she added.
Many are expected to choose this option as there is limited land available in cemeteries.

“There may be some interest from the Cypriot locals, although they will also welcome it due to lack of space in cemeteries as it will free up grave plots available,” Watt said, who is also the director of Angel Guardians Funeral Home.

The estimated cost of actual cremation is between €800 and €1000 according to the company’s director. In contrast, even though burial plots prices vary from cemetery to cemetery and different rules and regulations apply, these are often over €1,000. Once other expenses, such as the coffin purchase are added, the overall cost of burial services reaches several thousands.

Watt said she is “very excited” to be involved in this long-awaited project, together with her business partner Neofytos Christodoulides.

“It is something I have personally been working on for 14 years, eight years with Neofytos and the government departments. My father (aged 53) brother (aged 17) and mum (aged 83) were all cremated so it’s very personal to me,” she said.

Working with bereaved families was not a childhood dream for the funeral director. In fact, it was not until she was grieving the loss of a loved one herself that she started thinking about shaking things up in the local funeral business.

“I worked in the motor trade in Scotland for 28 years and moved here 17 years ago. I met Neoftyos at a business meeting, we discussed working together in the funeral business.

“Due to us both losing loved ones we wanted to make a difference for families here and add certain procedures with many different options which has been well received by the island.”

This is how the duo came to open a funeral home in 2011, which will remain a separate project from the crematorium.

Based on the plans, the crematorium facilities will also include a garden of remembrance to commemorate the dead and will offer pre-paid funeral plans while there will be the option for non-attendance service. The crematorium will also accept the deceased from surrounding countries that still do not have the facility.

And it seems that Watt will never stop looking to offer more types of funerals.

“We had [also] looked at water cremation (Resomation) but the government would take five further years to investigate it properly, this may happen eventually,” Watt said.