Mary’s House in Ephesus, Turkey: Interfaith Pilgrimage in the Age of Mass Tourism

Abstract

The local Christian community had long held the Turkish site known today as Mary’s House (Meryem Ana Evi) to be the historical Mary’s last residence and final resting place. However, it was not until the Vincentians conducted an archeological study of the first century ruins in 1891 that it became known to the Church. Amelia Gallagher recounts the circumstances surrounding the “discovery” of Mary’s House. She traces the location’s trajectory from a Catholic shrine to one that is sacred to Catholics, other Christians, and Muslims, particularly for pilgrims seeking healing from the springs there. She explains differences in Christian and Muslim perspectives of and practices at Mary’s House. The site is unique in Turkey because it is largely free of regulations created by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to govern other Islamic religious places. Gallagher also explores the meaning that Mary’s House has as a tourist destination.