One Step from Heaven…
A few kilometers from the ancient ruins of the city of Ephesus, in present-day Turkey, on a small hill called the Nightingale’s Hill, one breathes the air of Paradise! Wrapped in the silence of the centuries and hidden by lush greenery, there stands a small stone house—poor and humble—which, like a precious shrine, preserves the testimony of the highest and purest holiness of the One who, with her “Yes” to God’s will, changed the fate of humanity forever: the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our God.
It was here, in this house, that she spent the last nine years of her earthly life, and it was here that, preserved free from any stain of original sin, she was assumed into heavenly glory, body and soul. The details of Mary’s life in this place and the grand event of the Assumption have been revealed to us through the visions of a German mystic, an Augustinian nun, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, who lived between the 18th and 19th centuries. Stricken by a severe illness that confined her to bed for many years, suffering from intense pain, she was granted a special grace—she was consoled by continuous visions of the lives of Jesus and Mary, which were collected and later published.
Stories that seemed isolated intertwine perfectly in God’s plan. In fact, several decades later, in 1891, another religious figure, Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey, became an instrument in God’s hands. At the time, she was the superior of the Daughters of Charity and was serving at the French hospital in Smyrna. After reading passages from The Life of Mary, according to Emmerich’s revelations, she suggested to the priests of her congregation—the Lazarist Fathers who taught at the Sacred Heart College in Smyrna, Father Jung and Father Poulin—that they organize an expedition to nearby Ephesus to verify the possible presence of the Virgin’s house as described by the visionary.
After several days of walking and exploring the area, on July 29, 1891, with great surprise and immense joy, they discovered a ruined structure, abandoned and completely hidden by surrounding vegetation. However, its location matched Emmerich’s descriptions perfectly! The mountains behind it, the sea with the Greek islands in front, and within, a central fireplace, a quadrangular shape, and a rounded wall at the back… This was just the beginning of a series of studies, investigations, and discoveries that confirmed the authenticity of the visions and the presence of the Blessed Virgin in that house.
The first testimonies gathered from the local people immediately revealed a long-standing Marian devotion in the area. Every year, on August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, the Greek Orthodox population of a small nearby village, now called Şirince, would walk here in pilgrimage. For centuries, this place had been called Panaghia Kapulu, meaning “Gate of the All-Holy.” Furthermore, in ancient Ephesus, at the foot of this hill, stood the first basilica dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which hosted the first ecumenical council in 431 AD, where Mary was officially given the title Theotokos, Mother of God.
This deep Marian devotion has not faded over the centuries! The stream of grace and beauty that flows from an encounter with the Virgin has never ceased because her maternal solicitude—calling, inviting, and exhorting—continues unstoppably. Today, this place is known as Meryemana Evi, which in Turkish means “House of Mother Mary,” and it is the beating heart of the Church in Turkey, recognized as a national sanctuary. Over the years, it has been honored by the presence of three popes—Paul VI, Saint John Paul II, and Benedict XVI—and is visited annually by millions of pilgrims from all over the world who come to pay their homage of faith and love.
Meryemana Evi is also a cherished place for Muslims, who see in Mary the perfect example of a praying woman and a prophetic sign of her fundamental role in Christ’s work of salvation. This sanctuary thus serves as a unique place for dialogue between different religions and peoples.
Today, the sanctuary is entrusted to the long-standing care of the Capuchin Friars Minor, who, through their ministry and apostolate, support this portion of the Church entrusted to them. It is also cared for by consecrated laywomen, the Disciples of Mary and the Apostle John, who dedicate themselves to prayer and the upkeep of the holy house. Their shared commitment and desire are to embody the maternal spirit of the Blessed Virgin Mary, expressed in prayer, hospitality, and service—most often through the simple witness of life.
According to Emmerich, *”She had no other sign of old age than the longing that consumed and transfigured her”—*a longing that was entirely divine! To those who come to Meryemana Evi, this little corner of Paradise, the Virgin Mary seems to whisper: “Lift your gaze to Heaven!”—the very Heaven that opened here to welcome her.