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The wails of the abandoned church

Posted by
Steven (Chicagoland, United States) on 3 February 2025 in Documentary & Street and Portfolio.

As I walked past the abandoned church, its spire standing out against the overcast sky, snowflakes drifted silently, muffling the world in an eerie stillness. The wooden boards nailed haphazardly across the broken windows were dusted with frost, their edges curling with age. Then, from deep within the decaying structure, a mysterious sound arose; low at first, like a distant whisper carried on the icy wind, before swelling into a chorus of wailing voices. Their anguished cries twisted through the falling snow, their tones pleading, desperate. A chill far colder than winter crept through me as the voices warped into something almost intelligible, a fragmented lament echoing through the desolation.

Weekly prompt: Mysterious

From the archives . . . Photo captured January 31, 2008.

OLYMPUS X300,D565Z,C450Z 1/400 second F/3.1 ISO 70 6 mm

New photos posted on most Mondays through Thursdays.
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Spotlight Images

Ginnie Hart from Netherlands

Oh my, Steven. With the added mysterious wail from deep withing this abandoned church, I saw and heard all the ghosts from my distant past when I had to go alone into my dad's church at night to turn off a lone light that had been left on after a service.

3 Feb 2025 5:58am

Claudine/canelle from Lorient, France

J'aime beaucoup ton texte sur cette eglise abandonnée

3 Feb 2025 6:04am

lisl from Winsley, United Kingdom

Did you ever locate what the strange wailing was, Steven, or is it ever a mystery?

3 Feb 2025 6:34am

@lisl: I definitely wanted to go in, but there was a chain link fence surrounding the church to prohibit entry. Perhaps someone got in, but then couldn't get out?

Astrid from Netherlands

Wonderful point of view, Steven. I would not be happy to enter this church while it is abandoned, never know what to expect (I see too many movies) Love the snow falling down.
Have a wonderful day.

3 Feb 2025 6:35am

Stephen from Canberra, Australia

Beautiful framing and certainly an air of mystery. Might also look good processed in black & white - worth a try.

3 Feb 2025 6:46am

@Stephen: I agree. There was another view of this church that I shot showing the rear of the church that had a white wall, chain link fencing that surrounded the church and a rose window that was boarded up that would have been a great candidate for B&W. But this view (above) had more boarded up windows.

PascalXLD from Lorient, France

Jolie église sous la neige
Bonne journée

3 Feb 2025 6:54am

Pascale MD from Parc National des Cévennes, France

Belle image de cette église sous la neige.
Bonne journée Steven.

3 Feb 2025 7:05am

Bill Phillips from Droitwich, United Kingdom

Sounds like the scenario for a horror film Steven. The building doesn't look that old to have been abandoned

3 Feb 2025 7:31am

Marie from Parc régional naturel de Chartreuse, France

I loved reading the text you wrote under the picture. Perhaps the voices heard (or imagined) are those of all the deceased believers who attended this church before it was abandoned.
Beauiful church.
https://mesregards.fr/

3 Feb 2025 7:50am

Hiro from Kyoto, Japan

nice point of view

3 Feb 2025 8:11am

mo.langel from Courtelary, Switzerland

A beautiful capture of the red church under the snow!

3 Feb 2025 9:52am

Giulio from Turin, Italy

Within these hallowed halls, where prayers were once offered and promises made, the echoes of the past linger. Even now, as we enter, we can almost hear the haunting melody of Beethoven's Benedictus.

3 Feb 2025 9:59am

Gérard Flayol from Château-Gombert, Marseille, France

The ghost of the lost pastor may be .....

3 Feb 2025 10:02am

@Gérard Flayol: Or a photographer who trespassed and then couldn't get out? :-)

Manu from Caldas da Rainha, Portugal

A beautiful church, but it's a shame it's abandoned.
The falling snow gives the photo a mysterious air

3 Feb 2025 1:40pm

Ruthiebear from Titusville, NJ, United States

What a mysterious tale this church has to share. Personally, I find church building comforting.

3 Feb 2025 2:04pm

B. Thomas from Arlington, Texas, United States

It must have been really something back in it's day. Fine image for the prompt. The snow adds some additional chill.

3 Feb 2025 2:42pm

Claudiel from belgium, Belgium

A very beautiful text that accompanies your photo, adding even more mystery

3 Feb 2025 3:10pm

Mhelene from Région parisienne, France

Oh...It’s a desperate plea for this beautiful church that you are sending us here ...and your framing is superb !

3 Feb 2025 4:24pm

Jypyä Pop from Turku, Finland

It's strange to think that such a beautiful church has been abandoned. They are expensive to maintain and in Finland too, parishes have been merged and the use of churches needs to be considered.

3 Feb 2025 4:57pm

@Jypyä Pop: The Chicago archdiocese went on a huge campaign to build new parishes throughout the Chicagoland area in the late 1990's. New churches were built in areas that didn't need them, so people transferred from the older churches to the newer churches, leaving the older ones with declining membership.

Jean-Luc.M from Nancy et ailleurs, France

You're scaring me with your story ... :-)
Beautiful capture of this old church under the snow.

3 Feb 2025 5:08pm

Jason Kravitz from Brussels, Belgium

Your church looks much more of a mysterious calm on the surface, but your story adds quite the mood! Well done on both counts.

3 Feb 2025 6:16pm

Willem from Noord-Scharwoude, Netherlands

Thanks to the point of view, the result is an impressive photo of this church.

3 Feb 2025 6:43pm

Remus from Portugal

An abandoned church, a sign of the times, when faith is not what it once was. I hope the building is not demolished, and that it can find a new purpose, a new way to serve the community.

3 Feb 2025 8:02pm

Ron from Fraser Valley, Canada

The abandon church is perfect for this week's prompt. I like how the light dusting of snow gives the roof a silvery appearance.

3 Feb 2025 8:27pm

sherri from Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

love the snowflakes here. makes a layer of silence over the abandonment.

3 Feb 2025 11:33pm

Elizabeth Buckalew from Flagstaff, United States

How sad - it's a lovely building!

4 Feb 2025 2:04am

Harry from Apex, NC, United States

the church makes a good setting for your campfire ghost story

4 Feb 2025 2:52am

Elaine Hancock from Olney, United States

Your narrative really sets the scene! That is a beautiful old church. You are a gifted writer

4 Feb 2025 3:53am

Sam from Chennai, India

A fine capture of this abandoned old church. And a great narrative. Perfect for the prompt Mysterious. :)

4 Feb 2025 5:20am

Petits bonheurs from AIGLUN, France

Elle est belle cette église abandonnée et cette légère neige lui va si bien !

4 Feb 2025 12:36pm

jeanmadis from Chonburi, Thailand

Too bad it's abandoned, it's still in good condition...

5 Feb 2025 2:48am