Church: Hasan Hüseyin Korkmaz
Submitted by: Christina Bumba
Location: Antakya, Hatay, Turkey
“Antioch Milad” focuses on the first Christmas celebrations of the Orthodox Christian community in Hatay, a region that has hosted 13 civilizations and 3 monotheistic religions, after the earthquake disaster of February 6, 2023. In a city turned to ruins after the earthquake, the Christmas celebrations represent not just a holiday, but also a “milad” – a rebirth – for the community.
As the community, which has suffered great loss, comes together to remember their lost churches and destroyed homes, they not only honor the past but also build a bridge to the future.The way people come together and reconnect, even after such a profound tragedy, to celebrate the birth of Jesus, becomes more than a religious ritual, it also symbolizes societal healing.
