Orthodox Greeks have gathered at the Ayazma Monastery on Tenedos island, known as Bozcaada in Turkish, on the southern shore of the Dardanelles for a religious ceremony to celebrate Hagia Paraskevi Day.
Commonly known as the “Ayazma Feast,” the event attracted many Orthodox Greeks from Greece, Australia, the United Kingdom, France and many other countries.
Every July 26, the Orthodox community assemble at the monastery to observe their traditional rituals on the sacred day of Hagia Paraskevi. Kyrillos Sykis, the metropolitan of Gokceada (Imbros) and Bozcaada, led the historic monastery's ceremony.
According to tradition, Paraskevi, a young and beautiful woman, one day fell in love with a handsome man who lived at Ayyalus Monastery. When Paraskevi’s father noticed the situation, he locked his daughter in Ayazma. Both of the lovers desperately wanted each other, but they were never able to come together. In honour of their endless and unfulfilled love, a fountain was built for those who want to pray and make wishes.
