Death of the Virgin Mary
How she died?
We do not know for sure the place or circumstances of the death of the Virgin Mary. A tradition attests that he died in Jerusalem. Another tradition says that she lived in Ephesus for a short time before her death.
As the legend goes, Mary did not live in the city of Ephesus, because she didn't like the distance, so he lived in a small house on a hill to the left of the Jerusalem road. It was a very lonely place, but it had many fertile hills and caves, where several members of the Christian family and Mary's friends lived and gathered. Giovanni had built a house there for her. He lived in what might be called a scattered settlement, as there were both Jewish and Christian settlers who lived in caves equipped with carpentry, or in huts or tents. Maria's house was the only one built in stone.
Shortly after his arrival, Maria had it built behind the house, a Via Crucis with twelve stations. At each stop, there were commemorative plaques – eight smooth stones with many parts, each resting on a base of the same stone. The stones and their bases were all inscribed with Hebrew letters. These stations were all flat, with the exception of “Monte Calvario station”, which was on a hill. The “Station of the Holy Sepulcher” he was in a cave a little farther from this hill.
His stone house had a stream running below. The windows were high up near the height of the roof, and the main part of the house was divided by a fireplace in the center, sunk into the ground. Behind the fireplace was what Maria called the oratory, which is defined as a small chapel for prayer. In a niche in the center of the wall, there was a vessel like a tabernacle, where a cross stood, about the length of a man's arm. To the left and right of the fireplace were the doors leading to the rear of the house. The door on the right led to the bedroom, and through the door to the left of the oratory there was a small room where clothes and other goods were kept. He lived here quietly with a maid, a younger woman who collected food when needed. Giovanni visited her when he was not far away on a trip.
Stories tell that the day of his death, Maria was lying on the sofa in the alcove of her house and slept little. He had lived a full life and his body was now old and tired. The Apostles were gathered there because of his impending death, and held a service in the front of the house. Peter was in a priestly robe in front of the altar with the others behind him as in a choir.
Several times during the day Maria was raised by the women to drink a juice that had been squeezed from yellow berries. The new visitors were greeted fraternally, and after having their feet washed, they came in to visit Maria and greet her as a sign of reverence. She was so weak it was difficult for her to speak, but towards evening his death was approaching and he said goodbye to the apostles, disciples, and to the women who were present. She lay down on her pillow and Pietro gave Holy Communion. Legend says that she died after the ninth hour, which is the same time as our Lord.
Legend has it that Peter then anointed the body and prayed. Myrrh was applied to her armpits and chest, as well as between the shoulders and the neck, chin and cheeks. His body was wrapped in a shroud and placed in a wicker coffin that was nearby. A wreath of red flowers was placed on his chest, white and sky blue. The coffin was then taken to the cave where it was buried.
