Friends, I took the original photo (4.75" * 6.8") of St. Paul�s Lutheran church, Odessa to Office Depot and copied it on 4 sheets of 11*17 paper, using their best machine, which is kept behind the desk. Even at that magnification, the picture is remarkably clear. I could finally see that the words on the announcement board under the pulpit were not in Russian, as I originally thought, but in German. When I got home, I laid out the four pieces to form the picture (44" * 68") and, all of a sudden, the words jumped out at me. Although still a little blurry (I think caused by reflected lighting) the writing is mostly legible: 100 Jahre 18xx-19xx Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott where x represents numbers that are too blurry to be discernible. The letter �s� in �feste� and �unser� is in the old style form, which looks like a letter �f� without the cross stroke. Translated: 100 years 18xx-19xx A mighty fortress is our Lord (hymn composed by Martin Luther) This indicates to me that the photo was taken to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Lutheran community in Odessa. I haven�t yet verified the exact year: does anyone happen to know? I have rescanned the original photo of St Paul�s at 1200 Resolution. (The previous resolution was 600.) It is a humongous file (17,459KB!) But the quality is noticeably superior. Let me know if you�d like me to send it to you off the list. Other interesting things that are clearer in this version, especially when you zoom in: - Pictures of churches displayed on either side of the centre aisle. The one on the left looks as if it might be the previous building. It looks similar to a picture postcard of a Lutheran church from Odessa on the following website: http://www.zimdocs.btinternet.co.uk/fh/index.html. Click the link at the foot of the page <Postcards of Odessa circa 1900>, then <Lutheran church>. (This site includes many other fascinating historical postcards of Odessa.) The pictures displayed on the right of the centre aisle are apparently of the exterior of the 1897 building (i.e. the main photo that I have been working with.) A photo of the exterior can be found at the following URL: http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/grhc/history_culture/history/people8.html - Hymnboards, one on each side of the picture. On the left, it�s in the shadows on a wall to the left of the pulpit, down a little; on the right, it�s on the corresponding wall across the centre aisle, partially obscured by decorative swags hanging from the gallery. They display the following numbers: 32, 12, 21, 13, presumably Lutheran hymnbook numbers. Does anyone knows which hymns they are? Ella Melik --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Exclusive Video Premiere - Britney Spears