The Archdiocese of Izmir, at the initiative of its Archbishop Archbishop Martin Kmetec, is organizing a symposium to mark the bicentennial of the death of German mystic Anna Katharina Emmerick on October 11 and 12, 2024. The first day will take place in Izmir (Karşıyaka Church) and the second day at the House of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus. This event is part of the spiritual journey, beginning in 2021, which will lead us to 2031, the year of the 16th centenary of the Council of Ephesus (year 431).

I came to Izmir at first then to Ephesus, with the invitation of Mons. Martin. He invited me to see the Church in Turkey for many times. Finally, I could organized and came here on the celebration of 15 August, Assumption of the Virgin Mary. First, I would like to state that I am very happy for being here. I am very impressed. I travelled for many times Turkey and this is the third visit to the Virgin Mary of Ephesus.  When I was 15 years old, I came here with a group of 30 travelers and pilgrims accompanied by local Church priest. It was first trip without my family.

However I do not have any specific message to you, I would like to state that I am very impressed being where the roots of the church are there.  Next year, on the occasion of celebration of the 1600^th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, we will remember the Council of Ephesus, Council of Chalcedony and the presence of St. John the Evangelist and the Virgin Mary; the travels of St. Paul. All of them are impress us.

I am aware that here is a Church made up of a differentiated population, bearing the scars of the conflicts and misfortunes of our history. In addition, this makes me more encouraged to be persistence. As St Paul says in the Epistle to the Romans: ‘The righteous man lives by his faithfulness.’

It seems to me that we live in times of perseverance and faithfulness. The Christians here, whether they are of Turkish origin or refugees from the Near East or the Middle East, are all witnesses to the faithfulness and perseverance of Jesus Christ and this is a very important lesson for us western Christians.

Mons. Eric de Moulins-Beaufort