House of Virgin Mary

Historians along with religious scholars unanimously believe that Saint John, Saint Paul, and the Virgin Mary have passed through the ancient glorious city of Ephesus, living there for a while. Now, Ephesus is considered one of Turkey’s most popular attractions. The discovery of the house actually came through a rather unusual spiritual source that adds more character to the story of the overall place. 

This small, quaint, and unassuming home is where it is believed that Mary may have lived out her last days and passed away. It is thought that she came to this area with Saint John, who had been living in the area for years, spreading Christianity. This remote tucked-away place was Mary’s preference. She wanted to get away from crowded places and people, so this little home was perfect for fulfilling that.
After excavations were conducted, ancient stone foundations, dating back to the 500s and 600s were discovered.

 

This sacred and holy month is made in the classic Roman architectural style, completely etched and constructed out of stone, following traditions. The church which combines her house and grave was built in the 4th century.
The house itself stands on the foundation of an older, more dated structure, believed to be the house of Jesus’ mother.

The original two-story structure consists of an anteroom, a praying room, a bedroom, and a room with a fireplace. Today, the anteroom is usually filled with candles. The praying how now been made into a Christian church area and the fireplace serves as a chapel for Muslims. However, today only the center part and another room near the altar are accessible to visitors. You can see how the structure more closely resembles a church rather than a home.
Next to the structure is a peculiar place named the Water of Mary, which is a pool of healing saltwater that is drinkable. 

This holy site is a popular destination for all pilgrims from a variety of backgrounds, from Christians to Muslims alike. The Virgin Mary is sacred in both religions and attracts believers from all around the world. A special religious ritual is held every year on August 15, attracting swaths of people.

The discovery of this place was in 1891 when a group of Lazarist priests happened upon the house after a German nun named Anne Katherina Emmerich dreamt of instructions on how to arrive there. This unassuming stone house was discovered after Emmerich vividly and in extreme detail explained her vision of it in 1912. Using this detailed book as a guide, a French priest finally located the house. His discovery was brushed off until ten years later when two other missionaries found the same house using the book. These two missionaries also discovered that these ruins have been valued for centuries by villagers in neighboring areas. Apparently, people have been making pilgrimages to the holy house and the nearby water.

This was a new and very significant discovery in the realm of Christianity. Now, it is considered one of the holiest sites to Christians. The Vatican declared the house a place of pilgrimage officially in 1961. Catholic pilgrims continue to visit the house based on their strongly held belief that Mary went to this quaint and simple home with Saint John, where she lived out the rest of her life on earth.

The first pope to grace this holy place was Paul VI when he came in the 1960s. Later on, twenty years later, Pope John-Paul II visited as well and officially declared the place the official shrine of the Virgin of Mary, officiating it as a place of pilgrimage for Christians. There is a ceremony held every year to commemorate the assumption of Mary. 
Decades later, in 2015, the House of the Virgin Mary has officially declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Obviously, this is a holy site, so it may hold more value and meaning for those who are more religious. However, keep in mind that you don’t have to be a practicing Christian or Jew to visit. As a revered place of worship, you must be silent or whisper when you need to say something urgently. Of course, be sure to dress a bit more modestly and conservatively. It is difficult to say how long you will need to really see the place. Believers or religious people may spend a good amount of time there, as it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As mentioned above, there is a spring of holy water nearby. You have to walk through the garden to reach the tree little taps.

An important thing to note is that there is no public transportation. So in order to reach the area, you will need to either have your own personal vehicle or a taxi to take you up the steep meandering slope. You can also with up with a tour.
Today, the structure that you see has been largely rebuilt to be more suitable as a small church or chapel for believers to pray and leave their offerings. The spring is quite remarkable and you should use the opportunity to bottle up some holy water to take with you later. 
 

Although Turkey generally has great weather year-round, the best time to visit this region in Turkey would be during September. During this time the weather is mild and warm and there are generally fewer crowds. If you can’t make it in September, May is your next best bet. As mentioned above on August 15 of every year, there is a spectacular religious ritual that gathers people from all sorts of backgrounds from around the world. This would be an amazing time to go.