Five hours at Vija Artmane's grave on her birthday
On the birthday of celebrated Latvian actress Vija Artmane, an LSM journalist spent five hours at her grave in Riga's Pokrov Cemetery, marking her legacy.
Exactly 97 years ago today, near Tukums, the great Latvian actress Vija Artmane was born — putting her birth date at August 21, 1929. To mark the occasion, LSM journalist Andrejs Šavrejs visited her final resting place, the Pokrov Cemetery in Riga.
A memorial site at Pokrov Cemetery
Vija Artmane is buried at Pokrov Cemetery in Riga, one of the capital's Orthodox cemeteries. The inscription at her grave identifies her as the Orthodox servant of God Elizabeth — her baptismal name within the Orthodox Church.
On her birthday, the journalist spent five hours at the grave, observing the site where one of Latvia's most significant cultural figures is remembered. Such an extended visit reflects the continued interest people show each year in visiting the actress's resting place to honor her memory.
Vija Artmane is regarded as one of the most outstanding Latvian actresses, and her birthday continues to be marked as a notable date in Latvia's cultural life. Pokrov Cemetery, where she is buried, is among the oldest and most historically significant Orthodox cemeteries in Riga, and has become a place of remembrance for those wishing to honor the actress's legacy.
