In December 1998, a few months before the great earthquake in Turkey on August 17th 1999, the island of Burgaz among the Princes' Islands, known as Antigone in Greek, was shaken by an amazing event. This island was once completely Greek, but today there are a few Greeks and Turks from various parts of Turkey. The island has an Orthodox church, which is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, which can be clearly seen as you approach the island by sea from Constantinople (Istanbul).
During that time, every night outside the church and throughout the surrounding area, a deep breath of anguish could be heard, rising and falling as if sighing. It was a great sigh. The Turkish residents of the area were worried but could not explain the phenomenon. Some even went so far as to take stethoscopes and, after approaching the outer walls of the church, tried to uncover the source of these resonant sighs that had disturbed them.
Rumors had spread on the island that a great disaster was coming. The news also reached Constantinople and a well-known Turkish journalist, Sadettin Teksoy from the Turkish channel STAR, decided to go to the island to investigate the case. After arriving there, he went to the church while the Greek Orthodox priest was celebrating Vespers alone. The Turkish journalist, after waiting for the ceremony to end, approached him and asked him what he thought was happening.
The priest replied that a loud sigh was indeed heard every night, but he was unable to explain the real cause, while his tone indicated that he did not want to be involved in a possible provocation to the religious feelings of the Muslim Turks. However, the journalist persisted and finally, after standing for hours around the church, he managed to record the sigh while also taking several interviews with Turkish residents of the island. One of them, the then school principal, stated in front of the camera that for many years there had been many Greeks living in Burgas and the island was purely Orthodox Christian, which is why it has a great Christian tradition and added with emphasis, "Now, perhaps the Virgin Mary of the Christians came again, probably wanting to intervene and warn that a great disaster was coming." This is from a Turk. And indeed the great disaster came very quickly. Eight months later, just one day after the Great Feast of the Virgin Mary, the Dormition of the Theotokos, the great earthquake on August 17, 1999 struck Turkey with many thousands of victims. For the Turks of Antigone, the "sigh of the Virgin Mary," as it was called, was the great warning of this coming great deadly disaster.
During that time, every night outside the church and throughout the surrounding area, a deep breath of anguish could be heard, rising and falling as if sighing. It was a great sigh. The Turkish residents of the area were worried but could not explain the phenomenon. Some even went so far as to take stethoscopes and, after approaching the outer walls of the church, tried to uncover the source of these resonant sighs that had disturbed them.
Rumors had spread on the island that a great disaster was coming. The news also reached Constantinople and a well-known Turkish journalist, Sadettin Teksoy from the Turkish channel STAR, decided to go to the island to investigate the case. After arriving there, he went to the church while the Greek Orthodox priest was celebrating Vespers alone. The Turkish journalist, after waiting for the ceremony to end, approached him and asked him what he thought was happening.
The priest replied that a loud sigh was indeed heard every night, but he was unable to explain the real cause, while his tone indicated that he did not want to be involved in a possible provocation to the religious feelings of the Muslim Turks. However, the journalist persisted and finally, after standing for hours around the church, he managed to record the sigh while also taking several interviews with Turkish residents of the island. One of them, the then school principal, stated in front of the camera that for many years there had been many Greeks living in Burgas and the island was purely Orthodox Christian, which is why it has a great Christian tradition and added with emphasis, "Now, perhaps the Virgin Mary of the Christians came again, probably wanting to intervene and warn that a great disaster was coming." This is from a Turk. And indeed the great disaster came very quickly. Eight months later, just one day after the Great Feast of the Virgin Mary, the Dormition of the Theotokos, the great earthquake on August 17, 1999 struck Turkey with many thousands of victims. For the Turks of Antigone, the "sigh of the Virgin Mary," as it was called, was the great warning of this coming great deadly disaster.
But this earthquake also had another, very important and very significant dimension. Let us remember that at that time, on the eve of the earthquake, Greek-Turkish relations were at their lowest point. It had been preceded by the Imia crisis in 1996 and then by the great crisis of Abdullah Öcalan. Many believed at the time that the Turks were ready for the great assault on Greece. Indeed, the information reported that the Turks were preparing a major provocation-operation in the Aegean with the "tip of the spear" to challenge the Turkish navy. However, what followed certainly ruined any of their plans. And what happened that night was very significant.
On August 16, 1999, that is, the night of the great earthquake, the great ceremony of changing the leadership of the Turkish Navy Staff was taking place at the Gölcük naval base. Several Turkish frigates were gathered at the naval base, while a large number of senior officers of the Turkish navy attended the ceremony. Around 3 o'clock after midnight, the seismic tremors began. At that moment, and while most people at the base were quieting down after the ceremonies, eyewitnesses reported that a large source of fire had been observed springing from the ground very close to the naval base and at a great height. To this day, none of the researchers have been able to explain the cause and origin of this fire. The main building of the base was shaken to its foundations and immediately collapsed from the seismic vibrations with a terrifying and chilling noise amidst cries of despair.
A large part of the elite of the Turkish navy was buried in its ruins. As stated in an official statement by the Turkish Navy Staff, the earthquake and the collapse of the base killed two admirals, 27 senior officers, 136 non-commissioned officers, 82 sailors, 9 naval experts, one student of the Cadet School and 126 "special workers" of the base. A total of 441 people were buried under the ruins of the largest naval base in Turkey at that time. One realizes that the strike was crucial at a time when the Turkish Navy was preparing for the great expedition of its complete dominance in the Aegean and it would certainly take many years to recover its strength from this blow.
However, questions remained about the Gölcük naval base and the strange, large flash that preceded it seconds after the collapse amid a deafening noise of the base’s central building. It is worth noting that the Turks did not allow any foreign rescue teams to approach the base, while they were in great need as hundreds of officers and sailors were still struggling to be saved under the ruins of the base and of course no journalists were allowed to take photos of the disaster. Only certain Israeli, “specially equipped” teams were then able to access it. The explanations that were given at the time, but were not believed, were that they did not want foreign cameras to see the base’s facilities.
The fact was that the then arrogant Turkish ambitions for the “great attack” against Greece were buried in the ruins of the naval base, just one day after the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos.
Below is a report of the investigation by Turkish journalist, Sadettin Teksoy, under which is the transcript of the report translated into English. The first video with the transcript is edited, while the second video contains the unedited report with Greek subtitles. In the second video you can hear the breathing sounds at the 16:36 mark.
A large part of the elite of the Turkish navy was buried in its ruins. As stated in an official statement by the Turkish Navy Staff, the earthquake and the collapse of the base killed two admirals, 27 senior officers, 136 non-commissioned officers, 82 sailors, 9 naval experts, one student of the Cadet School and 126 "special workers" of the base. A total of 441 people were buried under the ruins of the largest naval base in Turkey at that time. One realizes that the strike was crucial at a time when the Turkish Navy was preparing for the great expedition of its complete dominance in the Aegean and it would certainly take many years to recover its strength from this blow.
However, questions remained about the Gölcük naval base and the strange, large flash that preceded it seconds after the collapse amid a deafening noise of the base’s central building. It is worth noting that the Turks did not allow any foreign rescue teams to approach the base, while they were in great need as hundreds of officers and sailors were still struggling to be saved under the ruins of the base and of course no journalists were allowed to take photos of the disaster. Only certain Israeli, “specially equipped” teams were then able to access it. The explanations that were given at the time, but were not believed, were that they did not want foreign cameras to see the base’s facilities.
The fact was that the then arrogant Turkish ambitions for the “great attack” against Greece were buried in the ruins of the naval base, just one day after the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos.
Below is a report of the investigation by Turkish journalist, Sadettin Teksoy, under which is the transcript of the report translated into English. The first video with the transcript is edited, while the second video contains the unedited report with Greek subtitles. In the second video you can hear the breathing sounds at the 16:36 mark.
Legendary television host Sadettin Teksoy, learning that mysterious and strange sounds have been heard for some time around the Saint John Greek Orthodox Church, famous for its priceless icons, immediately travels to Burgaz and begins investigating the mystery on-site. Teksoy interviews the anxious islanders to learn the reason for the mysterious breathing in Burgaz. As they describe the mysterious sound they can't seem to decipher, they describe it as if it were a human breathing.
"Did you witness what happened at the Saint John Church in Burgaz? What did you hear and see, sir?"
"It was probably about a month ago, I'd say around five or six in the evening. A strange sound started around that time, a breathing sound. Tonight, I'd say it lasted around ten to eleven o'clock, a constant breathing sound, and what you see now is the area around the church. I can tell you right away that it was a breathing sound that could be heard at the same distance, at the same volume, at the same frequency."
"That kind of breathing devastated us, my family and I. In other words, the entire night was devastated."
"An asthmatic would breathe in short gasps, labored breaths, a similar tone. It grew louder as the night wore on, slowing towards the morning call to prayer, and ceasing as soon as the morning call to prayer was recited."
"Yes, there was a sound, but of course, no one knew where it originated, where it came from, or how it happened. Despite all our efforts, we conducted extensive research, both day and night, from the islanders and the police. We couldn't reach any conclusions."
"So, sir, how do you, as a religious leader, interpret this sound? What's the explanation?"
"It's impossible to explain anything today. Like many things. Let me put it this way: even though we live in the space age today, there are many unknowns, or events that are known but unexplained. Yes, sir, this was one of them. It was definitely a mysterious voice coming from the unseen. There was no other explanation."
"We experienced a fear, including me and a few others who even went to Istanbul and stayed there. They were afraid. I mean, was it the voices of spirits or something coming from space? No one could figure out exactly what it was."
I wondered if Burgaz's tolerant social atmosphere, embracing all religions, had led to a new miracle in this century?
"As I approached the wall, I noticed that even though I could hear all the voices, the conversations, the cries, the shouts, the sound had stopped. When I took it off my ear, I could hear it for a while. When I put these devices against the wall, the sound disappeared completely, and I was immediately terrified. I realized there was something here."
Was the chilling sound that permeated the island a warning or a new call for peace for humanity? Perhaps no one will ever be able to answer this question. However, there's one truth we all know very well: we need peace and tranquility more than ever these days."
"Did you witness what happened at the Saint John Church in Burgaz? What did you hear and see, sir?"
"It was probably about a month ago, I'd say around five or six in the evening. A strange sound started around that time, a breathing sound. Tonight, I'd say it lasted around ten to eleven o'clock, a constant breathing sound, and what you see now is the area around the church. I can tell you right away that it was a breathing sound that could be heard at the same distance, at the same volume, at the same frequency."
"That kind of breathing devastated us, my family and I. In other words, the entire night was devastated."
"An asthmatic would breathe in short gasps, labored breaths, a similar tone. It grew louder as the night wore on, slowing towards the morning call to prayer, and ceasing as soon as the morning call to prayer was recited."
"Yes, there was a sound, but of course, no one knew where it originated, where it came from, or how it happened. Despite all our efforts, we conducted extensive research, both day and night, from the islanders and the police. We couldn't reach any conclusions."
"So, sir, how do you, as a religious leader, interpret this sound? What's the explanation?"
"It's impossible to explain anything today. Like many things. Let me put it this way: even though we live in the space age today, there are many unknowns, or events that are known but unexplained. Yes, sir, this was one of them. It was definitely a mysterious voice coming from the unseen. There was no other explanation."
"We experienced a fear, including me and a few others who even went to Istanbul and stayed there. They were afraid. I mean, was it the voices of spirits or something coming from space? No one could figure out exactly what it was."
I wondered if Burgaz's tolerant social atmosphere, embracing all religions, had led to a new miracle in this century?
"As I approached the wall, I noticed that even though I could hear all the voices, the conversations, the cries, the shouts, the sound had stopped. When I took it off my ear, I could hear it for a while. When I put these devices against the wall, the sound disappeared completely, and I was immediately terrified. I realized there was something here."
Was the chilling sound that permeated the island a warning or a new call for peace for humanity? Perhaps no one will ever be able to answer this question. However, there's one truth we all know very well: we need peace and tranquility more than ever these days."
