Cruise Day 7: Ephesus, Mary’s House, 3rd Ecumenical Council, Rug Demonstration, St. John’s Tomb

Three videos below: 1) Summary of our Ephesus Day, 2) Steve 10-minute talk on Mary from the Council Church of 431, 3) Steve’8-minute talk at St. John the Apostle’s tomb The cruise docked in Ephesus (Kusadasi), and we left the ship to drive north to Mary’s House, Nightingale Mountain, about 2 miles east of ancient Ephesus. We had Mass at a nice outdoor site with a view of her house. Everyone loved walking through her house, and we explained when she lived there and the circumstances. After time to do a bit of shopping, use restrooms, and get water from Mary’s well, we headed to the ancient ruins of Ephesus. This is about an hour-and-a-half walk through the streets of Ephesus, once one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire, with up to 250,000 people. Paul lived here for two years. I read the passage from Acts 19 about his time here. At the end of the city, and a little distance away, which most people never see, we visit the Church of the Virgin Mary, where the 3rd Ecumenical Council took place in 431. Here, the council declared Mary the Theotokos, the Mother of God. I give a talk there about Mary. Next, we have our finest lunch of the trip: over-the-top grilled Turkish food—Downton Abbey style —and a visit to the rug factory. We end the day at the ruins of the Basilica of St. John, praying at his tomb. Then people have free time to eat fresh seafood along the coast or to return to the ship. We left at 8 PM. The post Cruise Day 7: Ephesus, Mary’s House, 3rd Ecumenical Council, Rug Demonstration, St. John’s Tomb appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.