The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1897-07-10
THE HOUSE OF THE VIRGIN.
A Discovery by Lazarist Fathers Near
the Ruins Of Ephesus.

A Discovery by Lazar1st Fathers Near
the Ruins of Ephesus.
The authorities OF the Roman Catholic Uni
versity here have been informed that the
fathers OF the order Of Lazarists have dis
covered the house in which the Virgin Mary
Lived while in Ephesus. The discovery was
made by Father Paulain, superior Of the Laza-
rist mission Of Ephesus, the headquarters Of
which are at Smyrna. The missionaries work
IN all the territory about the ruins Of Ephesus,
on the site Of which are now mercy a few
Turkish villages. The order is French one.
1t appears that Father Paulain made the
discovery through reading "The Life of the
Holy Virgin" by Catherine Emmerich, the
German mystic. VINO died in the cary par,
OF this century after having excited heated
controversies by her accounts of visions and
Of miraculous experiences. Father Pauiain
:ound the book in the library of the mission
~ smyrna, and tossed it the flooor eX-
pect1ng that it would be thrown away, be-
cause It's orthodoxy was suspected A few
Gays after Father Paulain had treated the
book, so contemptuouslyah be- found it still ly.
ing on the flocr and picked it UP to see what
II contained. His. attention was attracted &c
the chapter which tcld of the declining wears
CT the Virgin and how she passed them in
house built for her by st. John the Apostle
catherine Emmerich professeI 10 have bee,
inspired when she wrote.
This house, the account said, els about
eignt miles from Epkesus, on a mountain
"nlcn is reached by narrow paths which are
one sees Ephesus on the che side, the sea
on the other, the sea being nearer the hill
than 1t Is to Ephesus."
Father Pauiain thought that as Catherine
Emmerlch had never visited Ephesus this de-
scrlptlon was very accurate one. The book
oh dos ninkS~
mousse and even Of its furniture. 1t said that
the mousse was square, and in the rear had a
round or oc:agonal addition, The site ~
the oouse was near, and Father Paulain de-
termred to investigate the story. He CT
canned an expedition to search for the house.
II consisted Of Father Paulain, Professor
jung, professor Of matthew atics at the Co.ieg,
Oh smyrna, servant, railroad emp.oye and
negro Mussulman. The only hi.r that lifted
the description was the Bulbul Dag, or Hi:
or the Nlghtingaies. From Smyrna the ps rty
proceeded to Aya-Soulock, one Of the VILLAGES
now occupying the site of Ephesus. Frc1n
here they left for the hill. The first day cut
tney met captain of gendarmes named An
area, who Informed them that there was IN oil
tradition current among the people of that
locality that great lady, had died near bv
many centuries ago, and on Aug. Is the peas
ants of the neighborhood were in the habit Of
making plgrimages to part of the Bu.buI
Pan2Thl9
or Gate of the Virgin.
So, somewhat encouraged, the party presse eli
on. On the second day they assembled the
Bulbul Dag, and on the third day reached i!s
summit. Here they found a plateau Gov.
cred with dense growth of fig, oak, laure:,
and olive trees. Being exhausted, they wan
dered aimlessly about until they saw soma
women working in tobacco field. They
asked them for water, and were directed to
clump OF trees near by. Here, to their sur
prise. they found the ruins of stone house
similar In form to the one described by Cath.
crime Emmerich. They looked about them.
and on one side they saw the sea, nearer to
snem than Ephesus, the ruins of which were
IN the other side. The house, according to
Catherine, was divided into three parts. The
central part was again divided into three
parts, OF which the last was semi-circu.ar.
mis- served as an oratory for the Virgin
Mary. On the left was the vestiary, which is
now fallen into ruins, and en- tke right was
me bedroom, in which was the bed, plank
The house Is now preceded by sort of square
vestibule, which Is known to have been erect
ed several centuries after Christ.
The expedition returned to Smyrna with the
news OF their discovery, and Monsignore II.
moni. Archbishop Of Smyrna made an exam-
nation OF the house and compared it with the
description in the book, and he showed .ha:
out for the ruinous condition of the nouse i.
was exactly like the one described in the
book. Since then students from the School
OF Athens have visited the pace, and they
say that the ruins are like those CT the gym
nasium of Athens, Roman building OF the
time Of Christ.
This of course does not completely establish
the identity of the house, as the pace where
the Virgin Mary dwe,t after the crucitixicn O.
Christ has been in dispute fer centuries. The
last mention Of her in the Bible is that she
remained in an upper chamber with the apes
ties after the ascension. S.. John hac charge
If her, and it is believed that he wen; 20
Ephesus, and it is supposed that he died
there.-Washi Correspondence New
York Sun.