Virgin Marys House
VIRGIN MARY'S HOUSE - MERYEM ANA EVI / KILISESI
The house of the Virgin Mary, known in Turkish as Meryemana, is believed to be the place she was brought to by St John at the end of her life. It is located on top of Bulbul Mountain and also offers great views of the town.
HISTORY
In 1881 a small stone building was discovered by a French priest on a mountain, overlooking the Aegean Sea. He believed it was the house described by the nun Anne Catherine Emmerich in her book Clemens Brentano. Anne had never visited Ephesus but described the place form visions she received. The French priest's discovery was not taken seriously until 1891 when the building was rediscovered by two missionaries. This discovery revives the Christian tradition of Ephesus, as the place of the Blessed Virgin’s passing from this world.
The structure dates back to the 6th and 7th centuries, with the foundation dating back to the 1st century. The current chapel on the site is a result of restoration. It has been declared an official Catholic pilgrimage site. However, the Roman Catholic Church has never announced the site's authenticity, although it did receive blessing from Pope John VI in 1967.
The site is also holy in the Muslim religion, with people believing the Virgin Mary visited and drank from the spring running under the house. There is a ceremony every year on August the 15th to celebrate the Virgins passing to heaven.
Other places to visit in the region include Ephesus, St John's Basilica and Sardis Ancient City.