PART OF THE MONOGRAPH "ISRAEL AND MACEDONIA" BY SLAVE KATIN
The picturesque landscape where the house of the Holy Mother of God was built reminds the visitor of the landscapes that were taken as an example in the construction of Christian monasteries in the world. And there, according to customs, after bowing in the Church, leaving the temple and washing with holy water, according to customs and beliefs, the visitor becomes a pilgrim.
The space attracts with its beauty and vividness, and the Church is a place where thousands of Christians and Muslims come to worship and pray. It seems that in the two thousandth year the Church was most visited on August 15, when the largest gathering was held on the occasion of the Third Millennium of Christianity, when the Church was visited by thousands of believers, believers, Christians, Muslims and others.
Otherwise, according to written documents, it is known that St. John brought the Holy Virgin to Ephesus in the fourth or fifth year, immediately after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The house on Mount Bilbil, which was prepared and built by St. John, is located 420 meters above sea level.
According to the stories, the house was discovered by the German nun Anna Katerina Emmerich, who dedicated her life to God, was paralyzed and established spiritual communication with the Holy Mother of God. It was shown to her in an unconscious state, the documents say, that the Mother of God is buried near the Church.
This was confirmed by some Lazarian priests who in 1891 discovered the place of the house where the Holy Mother of God spent the last days of her life. Thus, it was discovered that the cross-shaped building and the dome were ruined, but were later restored.
During our visit to the house of the Holy Mother of God, we were introduced to many details about the discovery of the temple, about the visits and respect by Christians and Muslims towards this spiritual center. At the same time, the large statue in the courtyard in front of the church leaves a strong impression, where one has the feeling that the Holy Mother of God welcomes newcomers and well-wishers with open arms.
The statue, on the other hand, of the Holy Mother of God in the apse, was placed a hundred years ago and is a beautiful example through which everyone bows and pays respect to the mother of Jesus Christ.
In the evening we returned to Izmir, which has several million inhabitants, where we were accommodated in the exclusive hotel "Efes", which is located in the center of the city and is of a high category. The city, on the other hand, whose Turkish name is Izmir, is also known by the name Smyrna. It is the most important seaport in Asia Minor, on the coast of the Aegean Sea, and is the third largest city in Turkey. Smyrna is an old Ionian settlement that was restored in the 4th century BC.
During the Roman Empire and Byzantium, Izmir was one of the largest cities in Asia Minor. Its history states that the city was under the rule of the Tatars, who devastated it, then under the Hellenes, who oppressed them in the city, and in 1922 it was liberated by the Turks led by Kemal Atatürk. This very important seaport and strategic land location became a major NATO base in 1952.
The visit to the great city of Izmir remained in our permanent memory. Namely, during the first day the delegation from the Republic of Macedonia, which included the author of these lines, Slave Katin, was received by the mayor of the Municipality of Bornova, Mr. Cengiz Bulut, who is originally from the village of Sirkovo, Kavadarechko, and was born in Izmir.
He captivated as an interlocutor with his beautiful Macedonian language. That prominent citizen of the Municipality of Bornova organized a formal dinner for the delegation from Macedonia. At the same time, he informs us that the Municipality of Bornova has about 500 thousand inhabitants, among whom, according to some indicators, 30 percent are Turkish citizens from Macedonia, mostly Islamized Macedonians.
We confirmed this during our walk by the sea, where we met a large number of residents who spoke Macedonian and were happy to stop to greet us, the guests from Macedonia. At the dinner, in addition to the prominent citizens of Turkey of Macedonian origin, such as MP Kemal Vata, the deputy governor of Izmir Mr. Ramaza Irgancioglu was also present.
It seems that the visit to the Municipality of Bornova was a special experience for us. Namely, in the House of Culture in this municipality, the delegation was given an unforgettable welcome. Several hundred citizens were waiting for us as guests from the Republic of Macedonia. There was also the Macedonian folk music orchestra, which welcomed us with Macedonian songs and dances.
We heard "Bitola my native region", "Macedoniyo", "Zajdi, zajdi clear sun" and other famous songs and dances. We felt as if we were in Vranovci, in Žirovnica, in Župa, in Macedonia. The reception, in addition to the hosts, was attended by several representatives of the "Rumeli" Society, students and other prominent citizens who live and work in Izmir, especially in the Municipality of Bornova. Among them were Dr. Shaban Akarbai, sports doctor of the Turkish national team, originally from Veles, and Dr. Izmail Bajraktar, who translated for us from Turkish to Macedonian and vice versa, as well as other prominent Turkish citizens originally from Reka, Veles and other regions. of Macedonia.
After the warm welcome, a tribune was organized in which about 200 participants took part, a large number of them from various associations of Turkish residents from the entire Balkans and beyond, who cooperate well with the residents of Bornova. In the talks, there was talk of cooperation on a social, cultural and other level, as well as the common interests of the citizens of the two countries - the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of Macedonia.
To be continued
It says: SLAVE KATIN
