On July 29, 1891, Father M.H. Jung, a Lazarist priest and professor at Smyrna’s Sacred Heart College, found the remains of an ancient house, spring and full immersion baptistery here. He’d come to check the veracity of the mystical visions of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824).
Atop the ruins, which neatly harmonized with the German Augustinian nun’s descriptions, Father Jung constructed a lovely cruciform shrine.
Later, Pope John XXIII would visit the shrine many times during his time as apostolic delegate to Turkey. Popes Paul VI and John Paul II would travel here as pilgrims, too.
And, as of press time, Pope Benedict XVI was planning to celebrate Mass here and deliver a homily during his Nov. 28-30 Turkish trip.
