Turkey: House of the Virgin Mary

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, full of parties and presents, lights and gorgeous decorations, but I find that it can also be busy and stressful. So as much as possible I try to refocus and remember what the season is really about for me--family, love, charity, and the birth of Christ.

Thinking about these things last night led me to recall a trip to Turkey where I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the House of the Virgin Mary. Although the Roman Catholic Church has never definitively approved the divinity of the house (due to a lack of hard scientific evidence) many Popes have visited it, and it is widely accepted as a holy site for both Christians and Muslims.

Located between Ephesus (another site I really enjoyed) and Selçuk on Mt. Koressos, the house is believed to be where the Virgin Mary lived out the remainder of her life following Jesus' Resurrection. The site features a font of Holy water, which runs from underground, and a wall where pilgrims can tie their written prayers and messages.

The place is green and peaceful and I suppose recalling my visit helps me to remember what this Christmas season is all about. I wish you all every blessing of the season!

Botticelli's Glorification of Mary

via Google Images

Alla Prossima