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The House of the Virgin Mary (Meryem Ana Evi) is a pilgrimage site on Mount Koressos in Turkey. It’s near the town of Selçuk and the ancient city of Ephesus, and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Ephesus .
History of the House of the Virgin Mary
In the early 19th century, a Roman Catholic nun from Germany, Anna Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824), had visions recounting the last days of Jesus and the life of the Virgin Mary. Emmerich was bedridden and could not travel, but she was well-know as a mystic and had many visitors. One of these visitors was German author Clemens Brentano (1778-1842), who transcribed every vision Emmerich had over a period of five years. After her death, Brentano published a book based on the transcriptions.
In one of the visions, Emmerich stated that St. John the Apostle brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus from Jerusalem about four to six years after the crucifixion of Christ. He built a small stone house for her where she lived the rest of her life. Emmerich also described the house in detail, including the shape of the chimney and location of the doors.
Discovery of the House
On October 18, 1881, Julien Gouyet, a French priest, discovered a small stone building based on the descriptions in the book. He wasn’t taken seriously. 10 years later, Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey (1837-1915) urged 2 priests from Smyrna (now Izmir) to search for the house. Fathers Poulin and Jung discovered the same building on July 29, 1891.
Furthermore, they discovered that Christians from the nearby town of Şirince would visit the house every August 15, the feast day of the Dormition of the Virgin, to venerate the ruins. These Christians were the descendants of early Christians from Ephesus and called the ruins “Panaya Kapulu” (“Doorway to the Virgin”).
The House of the Virgin Mary quickly turned into a pilgrimage site for both Catholics and Muslims. However, due to lack of acceptable evidence, the Roman Catholic Church has never pronounced the authenticity of the house. Even so, in 1950, they elevated it to the status of a Holy Place. It has been visited by Popes Leo XIII (1896), Pius XII (1950), Paul VI (July 26, 1967), John Paul II (November 30, 1979), and Benedict XVI (November 29, 2006). The house was last restored in 1951.
Visiting the House of the Virgin Mary
Admission to the site is 250₺ per person (as of September 2023). It can get very crowded, especially if there are cruise ships in port. Be prepared to wait in line for a long time if there are heavy crowds. To reach the house from the parking lot, visitors first walk past an ancient cistern.
Along the path, the history of the house is chronicled on interpretive panels in several different languages. There’s also a statue of the Virgin and a small area set aside for prayer services.
Next is the house itself. Visitors can spend a few moments inside to reflect and pray. The first room is a chapel while it’s believed the Virgin Mary slept in the smaller room on the right. No photos are allowed inside and a security guard tells you to move along if you’re dwelling a bit too long. Outside the house are boxes to light candles.
The path descends and turns back towards the parking lot. At the bottom of the stairs is a spring which is believed to have healing properties. Many pilgrims drink from the spring or fill bottles to take with them.
Next, there’s a “wishing wall” where pilgrims write prayers to the Virgin Mary on paper or cloth and tie them to the wall. The prayers are written in several different languages. From there, it’s a short walk back to the parking lot, where there are plenty of souvenir stands and a restaurant.
Statue of the Virgin Mary
Finally, on the road to the house, just past the southern entrance to Ephesus, is a statue of the Virgin Mary. There are great views of Selçuk from there.
