Greek Orthodox community celebrates annual ritual on Bozcaada

ÇANAKKALE

Members of the Greek Orthodox community gathered at the historic Ayazma Monastery on the island of Bozcaada in the northwestern province of Çanakkale on July 26 to celebrate Hagia (Saint) Paraskevi Day with a religious service.

Known locally as the Ayazma fair, the event drew a large number of participants from both Türkiye and abroad, who gathered at the monastery to take part in the festivities.

Patriarch Bartholomew I led the historic monastery's ceremony. Among those in attendance were Nikos Androulakis, leader of Greece’s socialist party PASOK; Konstantinos Koutras, Greece’s Consul General in Istanbul; and Kyrillos Sykis, the metropolitan of Gökçeada and Bozcaada.

The event also saw the participation of several clergymen from abroad.

Every July 26, the Orthodox community assembles at the monastery to observe their traditional rituals on the sacred day of Hagia Paraskevi.

The faithful gather to light candles, recite prayers and sing hymns at the monastery, considered one of the most significant religious sites on the island.

According to local legend, the site is tied to the story of Paraskevi, a young woman who was kept under watch at the Ayazma Monastery after falling in love with a man from the Ayyalus Monastery on the nearby hill now called Göztepe.

As the story goes, she would gaze longingly toward the hill and try to send messages to her lover on the wind.

Heartbroken and never reunited with him, Paraskevi died of sorrow.

A wishing fountain, also known as the well of wishes, is said to have been created in her memory, where people come to pray and make their wishes.