Marmaris Excursions News
Marmaris excursions outnumber most of the resorts in Turkey in choice of daily excursions. Our local agency alone offers a selection of 28 daily excursions from Marmaris for individuals and groups alike. The choice of Marmaris excursions include the most significant sites in Turkey like Ephesus (ancient Efes) and the House of Virgin Mary. All entrance fees are included in the price of Marmaris Excursions for entering the ancient Ephesus and the House of Virgin Mary. Although there are travel sites and agencies that do not include the entrance fee for the House of Virgin Mary which is …. Turkish Lira this year.
Today we celebrate the Holy Day of the Assumption of Mary, August 15 at the House of Virgin Mary near the ancient Ephesus. The foundation of this little house that served as the last dwelling for the St. Virgin Mary on earth, dates back to 1 century AD. The story about its discovery is even more fascinating: a nun who has never been to Ephesus shared her dream with a writer Clemens Brentano who later published a book about it. In her dream she clearly envisioned the House of the Virgin Mary. According to her description the priests and historians from Izmir have found this building in 1891. The house was officially declared a shrine of the Roman Catholic Church in 1896.
After the visit by Pope Paul VI on July 26th 1967 about 1.5 million people from different faiths and religion visit this house. The other indication that Virgin Mary died in Ephesus is the writing of John of Damascus in 8th century. John mentioned that in 458 AD Queen Pulcheria requested Bishop of Jerussalem to transport the sceleton of Virgin Mary to Constantinople.
The supporters of the belief that Virgin Mary lived her last years and died in her hut near Ephesus base their theory on these main points:
- 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.
- The presence of Church of Mary, the first basilica of the world dedicated to Virgin Mary, in Ephesus: In the early centuries of Christianity, places of worship were dedicated only to persons who lived or died in the locality.
Every Sunday at 10.30am, there is holy mass in English.
You can book the excursion to Ephesus and the House of Virgin Mary with us online :
1-day trip from Marmaris to Ephesus and the House of Virgin Mary http://www.marmarisinfo.com/excursions/ephesus.php
2-days trip from Marmaris to Ephesus, the House of Virgin Mary and Pamukkale http://www.marmarisinfo.com/excursions/ephesus_pamukkale.php
