While visiting Mary's House I was keenly aware of the sacred ground on which I tread...ground that had at one time been steeped in the Tears of the Mother of God. Currently, due to Turkish army regulations, no one can walk behind Mary's House. That did not keep me from uniting with Our Lady as she walked, carved out, and prayed the first Stations of the Cross. As I sat inside Mary's House on a little stool on the right wall facing the Altar, I faced a window on the left wall. The window grille is made up of black iron crosses. It was open and looked out on the exact area of mountainous, rocky, lightly wooded and dry underbrush-filled terrain where Our Lady relived and wept over the Passion and death or Her Son Jesus.
I was blessed to have Mass in the Rectory Chapel twice, once celebrated by the current Rector Father Oriano and a second time by the previous Rector Father Joe. In this Little Chapel are beautiful Icons of the Stations of the Cross. I attempted to take photos of these Stations knowing that they exist on the same sacred ground of the very first Stations prayed and created by Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Ephesus. Please excuse my amateur photography and presentation which does no justice to the love and prayers in my heart as I contemplated Our Lady's Tears flowing for love of Jesus...for love of us.
+JMJ+
“The grace of our Lord be with us forever.” ~ Sr. Marie
