We conclude our mini-series on the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Prayer Book by examining some controversies between the traditions with respect to Mariology.
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I think it must be strongly pointed out that the small stone house in Ephesus is clearly identified as Mary & John’s last home, NOT her tomb! One of the evidences I’ve heard for her assumption/dormition into heaven is that there are no tombs or tradititions of a burial place for the Virgin Mary, whereas there are for many of the Apostles, saints, etc. The idea is that John got her out of Judea away from the horrific tribulation of the time and cared for her in Ephesus.
I visited the site in Turkey last January, and the peace and loveliness of this shrine was an unexpected joy. What really convinced me of the truth of the claim, though, is that it is thought the little stone house was built later on the original foundations of a spot called Mary’s House and said to be her and John’s last known dwelling place. The Orthodox villagers in a nearby town had kept this tradition alive and handed it down through generations. I think oral traditions kept in this way are more often than not based on the truth.
