Istanbul’s church of wishes

In Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, queues of people of all faiths visit a Greek Orthodox Church on the first day of each month to make a wish. Emily Wither spoke to devotees who shared their hopes and desires, as they stood patiently in long lines.

No one knows exactly how the tradition started, but visitors take a gold key and descend the stairs to the underground Byzantine chapel to visit an ancient spring believed to have miraculous and spiritual powers. Once their wish comes true, they return the key to the church, who pass it on to others wishing for good luck.

Centuries of civilisation have left Istanbul dotted with revered sites; tombs and shrines of religious and historical figures where people go to make wishes, mostly about love. Visitors to the revered spots reflect on the multicultural make-up of a city that was once the crown of Christianity and Islam.

Producer/presenter: Emily Wither and Zeynep Bilginsoy
Executive producer: Rajeev Gupta
Editor: Chloe Walker
Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno