According to legend, the last place of residence of the Virgin Mary was a small structure on a mountain by the sea, called the “House of the Virgin Mary” in Ephesus. Every year millions of Christians make a pilgrimage here to experience union with the Holy Spirit.
General information about the “House of the Virgin Mary”
In 1842, a book by a German nun, The Life of the Virgin Mary According to the Revelations of Anna Katerina Emmerich, was published. She had suffered from leukemia since childhood and was bedridden.
Later she discovered the gift of clairvoyance and began to predict events. In her dreams, Anna saw scenes involving Jesus Christ and the Mother of God. One night she saw a small hut on a mountain by the sea. She told her relatives about it, and they passed the information to the poet Clemens Brentano, who wrote several books about Anna.
In 1890 with the book on the life of the Virgin got acquainted with the abbess of the French Izmir hospital Marie de Manda-Granse. Curiosity of the nun helped to find out the exact location of the house and prompted to organize an expedition to it. The ruins of an ancient chapel were discovered at the specified location. The surroundings matched the description of the area from Emmerich’s visions. Later, other expeditions were sent to the house.
After excavations, it was found that the laying of the foundation took place in the I century AD, and the building was constructed in the XIII century.
The first pilgrims went to the House of the Mother of God in 1894. During the next excavations in 1898, premises with an atrium and a baptismal pool were found.
The Archbishop of Smyrna declared the “House of Our Lady” a holy place in 1892, but it was not restored until 1951. It was fully recognized after the visits of the heads of the Catholic Church:
- in 1967, Paul VI;
- in 1979, John Paul I;
- in 2006, Benedict XVI.
Now more than 2 million pilgrims come to Turkish Ephesus every year.
Historical information
After Jesus Christ was crucified, his apostles were persecuted. At the beginning of the year 43, John and the Virgin Mary had to leave Jerusalem. After 4 years of wandering, they reached Ephesus. At that time it was a large city with a population of over 200,000 people.
John built a house on the mountain, in which the Virgin began to live. From its windows opened a seascape overlooking Ephesus and the island of Samos. Samos. According to the canonical version of the Scripture, the Virgin Mary has returned to Jerusalem. There she left a will in which she chose the Garden of Gethsemane as her burial place. The graves of her parents are located there.
But according to another version, Our Lady lived in the house on the mountain until her death. In favor of this version of events is a letter given by Archbishop Nestorius to the Third Ecumenical Council held in Ephesus in 421. In it he reported that he was in the house built by John for the Virgin Mary.
Another proof of the residence of the Virgin in the house on Nightingale Mountain theologians consider the presence in Ephesus of the inhabitants of the Orthodox faith. They celebrated the day of the Dormition as a feast every year on August 15.
What you can see at the Virgin Mary House.
The House of the Virgin Mary (Meryrm ana evİ in Turkish or House of Virgin Mary in English) is now cared for by Capuchin monks from the Brotherhood of the Virgin Mary.
It consists of Christians and Muslims, as the name of the Virgin Mary is mentioned 33 times, the name of the Virgin Mary is mentioned 33 times in the Koran. The territory is guarded by the Turkish National Guard, and the restoration is carried out with the money received from pilgrimages.
Interior
The “House of the Virgin” complex consists of the following facilities:
- The restored “House of the Mother of God”.
- Chapels.
- “Wishing Walls”, where pilgrims put notes. They are burned on August 15, the day of the Dormition.
- Holy water springs that appeared after the Apostle John managed to escape the pursuit of Roman legionaries. The springs bring health, love and prosperity to everyone who washed or drank water from them.
- The font where children were baptized. Now it is filled during the holidays.
- Church shops that sell icons, books, crosses, etc. The proceeds from them go to the restoration of the monument.
In the alley leading to the chapel, pilgrims are greeted by statues of the Virgin Mary and the nun Anna Katerina Emmerich. Inside the church there is another sculpture depicting the Mother of God. It is located in the center of the altar room. To the right is the “Room of the Virgin Mary”. The artist Rostislav Lukin painted it with the image of the Mother of God and biblical subjects.
What’s interesting for kids
Not all children understand the respectful attitude of adults to the sight. Tour guides do not recommend taking preschoolers with you. Most of the year in Turkey is hot, and the main monuments in the “House of Our Lady” are located in the open space. Children are often capricious, which makes pilgrims uncomfortable.
It is possible to bring children over 10 years old to the house on the mountain. It is easier to explain to them who Our Lady is, what she did in this place, the reasons for persecution. If the teenager is familiar with biblical stories, he will be interested to see the last refuge of the Mother of God.
For children less interested in history, there are other places to learn about traditions and local rituals:
- 3 springs with healing water, which can be drawn free of charge:
- “Wall of Wishes” where they attach notes with requests to the Virgin Mary.
Where it is located and how to get there
Meryrm ana evİ is located in Turkey on Bülbül, or Nightingale Mountain, 550 meters above sea level. The village of Selcuk is 7 km away from the sight, and the resort of Kusadasi is 10 km away.
It is possible to reach the place of pilgrimage:
- by train from Istanbul to Izmir;
- from there to the village of Selcuk also by railroad;
- by cab or tour bus to the “House of the Virgin Mary”.
Although the distance from the village is short, it is not worth trying to reach the attraction on foot. The road is steep, narrow and serpentine.
Museum opening hours and cost of admission
“The House of the Virgin Mary” is not only a shrine for pilgrims, but also a tourist attraction in the village of Selcuk. Therefore, there is a fee to visit the complex.
Ticket price at the ticket office in front of the entrance:
- children – 20 Turkish Liras;
- adult – ₺60.
The museum is open all year round with no breaks on weekends and holidays. Visiting schedule:
- 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. April through October;
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. the rest of the months.
Other attractions near the museum
In addition to the “House of the Virgin Mary”, travelers will be interested in going to such monuments of history and religion:
- The Basilica of St. John the Evangelist in Ephesus. The Basilica of St. John the Evangelist in Ephesus. It was ordered by Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century AD. on the site of the apostle’s death.
- The Cave of the 7 Sleeping Spurs, near Ephesus. It is mentioned in the Koran and the Bible. The children of Christians who refused to perform pagan rites were hidden here. During excavations in the cave they found a chapel, tombs and tablets with the story of the young boys hiding in it.
Interesting Facts
There are some interesting facts associated with “Our Lady’s House”:
- In Selcuk, boys are often called Isa, or Jesus, and girls Maryam, or Mary;
- in a fire in 2006, the building of the house remained intact;
- The majority of pilgrims are women, which is not surprising since Our Lady became their patroness. Our Lady became their patroness;
- “The House of the Mother of God “is officially recognized as the place of her death, despite the divergence of opinion among the clergy.
Useful tips
On religious holidays, the number of pilgrims to the shrine increases. Therefore, you should take this into account when planning your trip. The administration does not organize thematic tours of the museum. Tourists receive information from guides leading the excursion.
The complex has all the amenities for visitors:
- paid parking;
- cafeteria;
- by the stores;
- toilets.
No special clothing is needed to enter the “House of the Virgin Mary”. Pilgrims can buy a shawl at the tent in front of the entrance.
Traveler Reviews
Dmitry, 43 years old, Kursk:
We vacationed in Kusadasi resort and came to the “House of the Virgin Mary”. On the tour the guide told many new stories about ancient times. The atmosphere of peace of mind is impressive in this quiet place.
Tatiana, 35 years old, Krasnoyarsk:
I have always been interested in holy places of different religions. Two of them – Islam and Christianity – crossed paths here. So it was doubly interesting to visit such a unique place.
