Virgin Mary in Ephesus
There are 3 important stories of Mary during the period of Jesus. During the time Jesus Christ lived on earth, “Mary” became a very common name. This is why there are many women with this name in the Bible. Three of them have a close relationship with Jesus. Of these three women: The first is Mary, the mother of Jesus, the second is Mary called Magdalene, and the third is Mary from Bethany.
But what matters to us is the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. In history, Virgin Mary is primarily known as the mother of Jesus. Virgin Mary is of Hebrew origin and descended from the prophet David. Virgin Mary was left to Prophet Zechariah in Jerusalem by her mother and father during her childhood. When Virgin Mary was 15 years old, she was engaged to Joseph, who was also a descendant of the prophet David. This is when the miracle happens. Before the marriage of Mary and Joseph, she became pregnant by the wisdom of God.
This situation caused some bad rumors to emerge. In ancient times, especially in the Middle East and Africa, if there was a fatherless birth, women giving birth were stoned to death. Therefore, Virgin Mary and her fiancee Joseph found a solution to leave the place where they were staying. But there were two uncertain assumptions here, that after the birth of Jesus Christ, first Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt, taking Jesus with them. The second incident is the Virgin Mary fled to Egypt without taking Joseph with them. This issue cannot be clearly stated by the theologians. Well, what happened, we can’t say for sure at the moment.
After this escape, we do not have clear information about the life of the Virgin Mary. We act mostly by looking at the comments. Based on this, according to some sources, Virgin Mary returned to Palestine after Egypt, many pieces of evidence show this for the time being.
Bulbul Mountain (Ancient Greeks call it Koresos), which is right next to the ancient city of Ephesus in the town of Selcuk, which is within the city of Izmir, was placed in a hut there. It is thought that the Virgin Mary spent her last days before her death, and it was assumed that the Virgin Mary died in the ancient city of Ephesus. Virgin Mary’s House, which has a very important place for Christians, is seen as a sacred being, especially for Catholics. Information about Virgin Mary is included both in the Bible and in the Qur’an, the book of Muslims.
Accordingly, it is believed that the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus without a father, not only in Christianity but also in Islam. Virgin Mary is the only woman mentioned in the Quran. There is even a surah in the Qur’an in the name of the Virgin Mary.
And there is a surah in the name of Imran, who is referred to as the father of Mary, in the Qur’an. The Virgin Mary is not only mentioned in the chapter of Mary but also many surahs such as the chapter of Nisa, the chapter of Maide, the chapter of Müminun, and the chapter of Anbiya. According to the Quran, Imran is the father of Prophet Mary. Aaron is the brother of the Virgin Mary.
Virginity has caused sectarian divisions in Christianity on the assumptions and thoughts about the Virgin Mary. In Catholics, one of the Christian denominations, it is believed that the Virgin Mary protects her virginity until she dies and that she died as a virgin and went to heaven.
However, Protestants, who are another sect of Christianity, reject the events experienced with the virginity of the Virgin Mary and the event that she goes to heaven when she dies because they are not included in the Bible. The Bible that gives the most information about the Virgin Mary is the Gospel of Luke.
In the Qur’an, we can see that the importance of the Virgin Mary in the religion of Christianity is great, and the importance of the Virgin Mary in Islam is also great in the verses about Mary. The Virgin Mary was given the good news by Gabriel that she would give birth to the Prophet Jesus.
Virgin Mary’s giving birth took place at the bottom of a date tree in a far place where there were no people. After the birth, Virgin Mary was ashamed that Jesus did not have a father. But a short time later, an unknown voice told her that she should not be ashamed and that her baby was honored. Virgin Mary was exposed to bad words by people.
After these bad words, according to Islam, the baby Jesus started to speak and said that his mother was chaste and that he was given prophethood by God, and that he should be treated well. This dialogue takes place in the time of Mary according to the Quran.
According to some authors, Virgin Mary is seen as a completely fictional personality. In the 1st Iznik Council convened by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine, there were thoughts that Isis, one of the mother goddesses, was reinterpreted and put into the form of the Virgin Mary, and the Virgin Mary was created with a new female figure.
Having a child by an unrelated woman is a common form of Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Catholic Christianity. For this reason, Virgin Mary has a different structure in everyone’s eyes. Mary has a very important and sacred identity in the Christian religion. Even today, the pictures, figures, and sculptures of the Virgin Mary attract a lot of attention in the Christian world.
At the same time, pictures of the Virgin Mary, etc. In the house of the Virgin Mary, which is located in Bulbul mountain of Selcuk district, within the borders of Izmir, there are pictures, etc. about the Virgin Mary. Items are available. These items and this house are considered extremely sacred and treated with respect by the people who visit this place.
In Catholic churches today, there are many pictures about Mary, and information about the belief in Mary and prayers are under the pictures. She is also respected for her efforts to spread Christianity, and for Mary’s being the mother of Jesus. This makes Virgin Mary more sacred in religion. Mary was blessed as the mother of god in the Ephesus Consul in 431 AD. If we go the reasons why Virgin Mary is associated with Isis, is because the figures depicted while breastfeeding the baby Horus in her arms centuries before the Prophet Jesus was born are similar to the pictures depicted Mary carrying Jesus in her arms.
The story of the Virgin Mary’s opening her eyes to life is a little different. There was a husband and wife named Joachim and Anna who lived in Nazareth in Galilee. This couple never had children. At that time, every family living in Israel had to have a child. That’s why the couple was constantly praying to God and begging him for a child.
While they were praying, they made promises to the god that if they had a child, they would give the baby to a temple working for God’s command when the baby would come to 3 years old. At these words, God answered their prayers, and Anna gave birth to a daughter. Mary was a very intelligent child, having learned to read and write by the age of three, and when she was given to the Temple she learned very quickly and understood the scriptures taught in the Temple. Virgin Mary was a woman devoted to God and her religion. That’s why God gave her the honor of giving birth to a Prophet.
Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus during the time she was engaged to Joseph, but Joseph never doubted her and tried to raise this child, whom God had blessed with her. Joseph took good care of Mary and Jesus throughout his life. There are beliefs that the Virgin Mary came to Ephesus after the crucifixion of the Prophet Jesus and spent the last days of her life here and that her grave is here.
For these reasons, visiting these places in the ancient city of Ephesus is perceived as a pilgrimage in Christianity. Although the belief in Mary and the idea of believing that the Virgin Mary is existing in Islam.
As a result, Mary is seen as holy because she gave birth to Jesus. In addition, it should not be forgotten that the 3rd Consul, one of the most important meetings of the Christian world (also known as the 3rd ecumenical council among the Christians convened in Ephesus in 431. Despite all objections, Virgin Mary was the Theotokos, that is, the mother who gave birth to God, for the first time in this council.
It can also be thought that the ancient city of Ephesus was chosen with this intention.) It was collected in the ancient city of Ephesus. Both the Virgin Mary’s house and the Virgin Mary’s Church (Double Church) in Ephesus were visited by the Popes, who are the leaders of the Christian world, and their importance was confirmed by them.
Pope’s visits
Pope VI. Paulus on July 26, 1967, Pope II. John Paulus on 30 November 1979 Pope XVI. Benedict on 29 November 2006 and Pope Francis on 28 November 2014 visited the holy house during his four-day visit to Turkey
The House of Virgin Mary’s house is approx. 3 km from the ancient city of Ephesus.
Gospel of Mark
3:31-35, the family of Jesus visits him
6:1-6, Jesus is rejected at Nazareth
Gospel of Luke
1:26-38, the Annunciation
1:39-56, Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth
2:1-7, the birth of Mary’s son Jesus
2:21-38, Mary takes Jesus to the Temple
2:41-52, Mary and Joseph lose Jesus during a visit to Jerusalem
4:16-30, Jesus is rejected at Nazareth
8:19-21, the family of Jesus visits him during his ministry
Gospel of Matthew
1:18-25, the birth of Mary’s son Jesus
2:13-21, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus flee to Egypt
12:46-50, the family of Jesus visits him during his ministry
13:53-58, Jesus is rejected at Nazareth
Gospel of John
2:1-11, Mary and Jesus attended a wedding at Cana
19:25-27, Mary witnessed the crucifixion of her son
Acts of the Apostles
Acts 1:13-14, Mary’s role in the early Christian communities
20 reasons to come to the ancient city of Ephesus
Virgin Mary’s Mother in Ephesus
Missionary Journeys of St. Paul (Saint Paulus) in Ancient Ephesus
