praying for a MIRACLE

Every second weekend of September, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Holy Cross Day. This is also the name day of my late father. My family and I would always enjoy going to Surp Hiresdagabet church in Balat, a historic town in Istanbul, Turkey.

The church was always surrounded by a street market selling everything from pastries to lambs and roosters, which people would buy to sacrifice and donate to the poor. People from all different religions and ethnic backgrounds would gather from all over the country and even abroad to attend the event. They would pray for a cure, a miracle, or for their wishes to be fulfilled.

A handyman named Mr. Artin was treated with the utmost respect because people believed his wife had spiritual power. There were rumors of miracles, and some people claimed to have been cured. The crowd would leave the church after Sunday mass.

As a photographer, I revisited my childhood favorite place in the 1980s to cover the event on silver halide film. The ritual was cancelled in October 2002, but I will always cherish the memories of those special days.