Turkey, Kusadasi, Patmos
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We crossed the Aegean Sea overnight and awoke in the harbor at Kusadasi, Turkey. Adjacent to Kusadasi is Ephesus, which houses impressive ruins from Biblical times.
Our first stop was to visit the House of the Virgin Mary on Mount Koressos near Ephesus. Catholic pilgrims visit this house with with the belief that Saint John brought Mary, the mother of Jesus to this stone house following the crucifixion and that she lived the remainder of her earthly life there. From there we visited the actual ruins of Ephesus, including the impressive Library of Celsus. The city dates to the 10th century BC. The first Christian community here was established by St John and developed by Paul. Paul came in to the city to fulfill the promise that he had given on his brief visit when returning from Corinth and stayed for about three and a half years and also wrote his letters to Ephesians in captivity most probably here in Ephesus. The church of Ephesus was established by Paul. Turkey is known for its rug-making, and we visited a rug seller to learn how they are made and endure the aggressive sales tactics there. We re-boarded our ship and made a final stop on the island of Patmos. There we visited the site where St. John lived in exile and is believed to have written the Book of Revelation. |
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The Ruins of Ephesus
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The Island of Patmos
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