At the Alsovar cemetery in Szekszard, over 100 km from the capital Budapest, Hungary's Parakletosz Nonprofit Kft team used shovels, pickaxes, and axes to dig a grave before a cheering crowd. They completed their task in 1 hour, 33 minutes, and 20 seconds, winning the championship for the second consecutive year.

The competition was initiated in 2008 by the Hungarian Association of Cemetery Operators and Managers (MTFE). The 2025 event marked the 18th competition if including national events, but is officially recognized as the 8th international competition, drawing grave diggers from numerous countries.

Each two-person team used only shovels, pickaxes, and axes. They had two hours to dig a grave 2 m long, 0.8 m wide, and 1.6 m deep. They then had to shovel the approximately 2.5 tons of earth back to create a neat burial mound. The grave had to have straight walls and a flat bottom, resembling a construction skills test.

Judges scored factors like speed, aesthetics, and accuracy on a scale of 1 to 10. Since 2022, a secondary task has been added, requiring teams to plant and water 24 pansies. This flower, reflecting Hungarian culture, symbolizes remembrance of the deceased.

The competition has a European folk festival atmosphere, open to both professional and amateur grave diggers. The prize is a medal shaped like a shovel, the symbol of the profession. The winning Parakletosz Nonprofit Kft team received medals, a trophy, and a 1,000 EUR cash prize.

"We want to break down stereotypes about this profession and attract young people to join, as the industry faces labor shortages due to the increasing popularity of cremation", said Jozsef Varga, director of MTFE.

Contestants participate in the grave digging competition at a Hungarian Cemetery, 9/2025. Photo: Oddity Central

The cremation rate in Hungary has risen from 27% in 1996 to 73.54% in 2025, decreasing the demand for traditional grave digging and causing a labor shortage in the funeral industry. The field faces difficulty attracting new workers due to the physically and mentally demanding work, limited career advancement, and lack of specialized training programs.

This is a common issue in Europe, where the workforce in long-term care, including funerals, is 20-30% lower than the EU average in some countries.

Cremation costs increased by 10.44% in just one year, while overall funeral costs have risen 15-20% annually. This has forced the industry to seek ways to attract young workers to maintain service quality amid an aging population.

The 2025 championship team, composed of Hungarians Laszlo Kiss and Robert Nagy, said their success stemmed from the discipline of their daily work and their dedication to the job.

Ngoc Ngan (According to Oddity Central)