Two tombstones of Poles who lived in Moldova in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century and who were interred at the Roman-Catholic Cemetery in Chisinau will be renovated this year as part of a project to rehabilitate Polish heritage.

Bartłomiej Zdaniuk, Ambassador of Poland to Moldova, said this is the fifth year that the project to restore tombstones continues. “In the tradition of the Polish people, this connection with the generations that passed away is very important, because if we take care of our ancestors, then our successors will take care of us as well,” stated Bartłomiej Zdaniuk.

The diplomat said a number of tombstones were already restored with the financial and intellectual support of Polish people, at a cost of several hundred euros.

This year, the renovation will start in mid-August and will last for about three weeks. In parallel, arrangements are being made to renovate the Ohanovici Chapel, located inside the cemetery. “For now, thanks to a private sponsor, we have been able to stop its further dilapidation”, said the ambassador.

Bartłomiej Zdaniuk added that the same team working in Chisinau also takes care of a graveyard in Rașcov, Transnistria, which also features an old Polish church.

Ludmila Boțan, director of the Funeral Services Municipal Agency, said a total of 51 tombstones at the Roman-Catholic Cemetery are to be restored as part of the project. Meanwhile, 5 CCTV cameras, a new fence and lights have been installed for a better security of the place.

The Roman-Catholic Cemetery covers a surface area of two hectares and about half, or roughly 1,500 of the people buried there are of Polish descent.

The project to renovate Polish heritage in Chisinau is implemented by the Embassy of Poland in Moldova, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland and the Chisinau Mayor’s Office.