Our next stop on the cruise was to Ephesus, Turkey!
We were a little nervous about this stop because of all the terrorist attacks that had taken place and all the news programs talking about Turkey.
However, we decided we were going to explore, our lives our in the Lord's hands anyway!
This was the view coming into the port.
There were cruise ship passengers that booked their own excursion through a private tourism company and through the cruise messenger they put out an invite for anyone who wanted to see certain attractions, Jeff saw it, we priced it out and it ended up being a WAY better deal, with an intimate group, were able to see way more, and they picked us up directly from the port with private transportation.
The other people on our excursion didn't really care to see the Virgin Mary's house, but I did so I spoke up and that was the first stop on our excursion.
(Afterwards they were glad we went there!)
House of Virgin Mary in Ephesus was not known till Anne Catherine Emmerich's vision. The paralysed German nun, who had never been to Ephesus, had a vision of the House of the Virgin Mary and described it in detail to the German writer Clemens Brentano, who later published a book about it. Catherine Emmerich died in 1884. In 1891 priests and historians from Ismir read about her vision and found a little building which corresponded with Emmerich's descriptions.
Archeological evidence showed that the little house was from the 6C AD but that the foundations were from the 1C AD. Proving that some people restored this home. What was intesting that every year on August 15th some villagers came here and made ceremonies under the name Panaghia Kapulu. First they were asked why they make these ceremonies. Like so many in the world without knowing what Christmas of Easter means, they did not have any clue. Historians searched the word Panaghia Kapulu and found out that it means Virgin's Door. August 15th, still celebrated as the assumption date of Virgin Mary. From these indications they thought this is the house that Virgin Mary spent her last years.
The supporters of the belief that Virgin Mary lived her last years and died in her hut near Ephesus base their theory on this point...
The presence of the Tomb of St. John and St. John's Basilica in Ephesus: Jesus Christ, before dying on the cross, entrusted to St. John his mother (John 19:26-27). It is believed that after the crucifixion of Jesus, St. John left Jerusalem and came to Ephesus, one of the biggest and safest cities of its time (capital of the Asia Minor province of the Roman Empire), and built a small hut for Virgin Mary just outside Ephesus in order to protect her from the non-Christian community of Ephesus.
Just outside the house you can light a candle as a prayer and put it in these boxes.
Then you walk down to the water fountains with the fresh spring water.
The water fountain or well is believed by some pilgrims to have miraculous powers of healing or fertility.
We both drank from it and it was refreshing.
(I'm still now pregnant so I'm not so sure about fertility but it was a beautiful experience.)
Outside the shrine is a particular "wishing wall" which pilgrims have used by tying their personal intentions on paper or fabric.
The wall is huge and is completely covered with wishes and prayers, we left our own little prayer/wish on the wall and it was a great experience.
Her home is situated at the top of a beautiful mountain top.
It was so peaceful and beautiful up there.
I can't remember what this was exactly, but I think it was some kind of bath or something!
Mary has always had a special place in my heart and I've always wanted to be like her. She was so humble, righteous, strong, all around amazing to take on such a big and overwhelming role as the Savior's mother. She carried so much responsibility and she fulfilled her role with grace and strength.
As I've struggled with fertility I can't help but yearn to feel Mary's presence with me as she is the mother of our Savior, and while at this beautiful scene I felt her love for me.
We of course took some holy water home to our families as souvenirs.
After our visit to Virgin Mary's house we made our way down the mountain to Ephesus.
This gold Madonna statue was a gift from the U.S. president, Bill Clinton.
I loved the serenity felt up on that mountain and being in a place where Mary was was a great experience.
Watch our day in
Ephesus and don't forget to subscribe to our channel to see more!
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