Christina S.
Yelp
I'm Catholic.
I believe in symbolism.
This is the House of Mary, where St John is believed to have brought Mary in her last days.
But, while we "fish-eaters" as a group (the Roman Catholic Church) have not said yay or nay on the validity of this truly being the House of Mary, I believe it. And that's how I went in on this side trip from Ephesus. Pope Pius deemed it a Holy Place in 1951, and every year on the Assumption of Mary (8/15) they hold a service for her here. To honor the separation of Church and Yelp, let's just leave it at that.
In any case ...
It was beautiful, peaceful, serene, all that, everything you would imagine it to be. The little stone house is located on top of a mountain a few miles from Ephesus (HINT: If you're one of those car sick kinda folks, get in the front seat! The ride up the mountainside - while very pretty - is not for the faint of tummy!!). It's more of a shrine to Mary now. And, outside the House of Mary is a Wishing Wall, where people have tied their prayers, maybe some are intentions, in hopes of being answered. Also outside the house along the wall is a fountain, which is believed to have some sort of powers related to fertility - People are encouraged to take a small sampling of the water if they choose to do so.
Whether you're a believer or not, this little side trip from Ephesus should definitely not be missed. It's a beautiful place.