For more than a week citizens of Armenia’s Etchmiadzin city have been gathering in front of the third house in the city’s Shushanik Kurghinyan Street. They come to see the “miracle” – the cross which appears on the outside wall of the house upon getting dark.  

Among the visitors of the mysterious cross are not only citizens of Etchmiadzin and nearby villages, but also those from Armenia’s other provinces, who mainly come here driven by mere interest. Some of them leave the place convinced that the “miracle” has a simple explanation, i.e. it is the shadow of the front house window, while others go and tell their neighbors that the occurrence is a real miracle.

On the day of our visit, the house yard was again crowded. People were arguing whether what they saw was an optical illusion or a miracle.

The most obstinate skeptics closed the window of the front house - supposed to cast a shadow reminding cross on the wall of the neighboring house - after which the image disappeared.   

But this not only failed to persuade those believing in the miracle, but sparked a quarrel. The latter began to accuse the skeptics of the lack of faith.

According to the house owner, the cross had first been seen by their daughter Mariam on the day of her engagement, which coincided with the Feast of Transfiguration of Jesus (holiday marked by Armenian Apostolic Church 98 days after the Easter).  The news circulating in the neighborhood spread all over the province and beyond. The residents of the house don’t go out in the evening since then to avoid curious looks and questions.

In fact, those who believe in the miracle don’t leave the house even at noon, when the cross isn’t visible. They stay there believing the talks according to which the condition of people with different diseases has dramatically improved after the visit.  

Our camera couldn't fix the cross in the darkness.