John and Diane Rhea, and Martha Davis, all from Dunwoody UMC, Atlanta, GA.
Our journey next took us back westward all the way to the coast of the Aegean Sea to the area of ancient Ephesus (blue dot).
We first went to the ruins of the ancient church, the Basilica of St. John, which is at one of the locations of ancient Ephesus. Ephesus was built and rebuilt 4 times in its history. The 1st and 4th locations are in the same spot. During the time of the New Testament, Ephesus was at it's 3rd location.
It is HERE that the apostle John, who is referred to as John the evangelist (as opposed to John the baptist), was buried on this church on the hill.
John's tomb:
This is the baptismal font in this ancient church.
The baptismal font is aligned east-to-west for a specific reason. In the earliest traditions of the early church, how you were baptized was you enter the baptismal font facing West, you spit in the direction of West and publicly declare that you reject all forms of evil, you turn around and face East (a holy direction), and you immerse and come up facing East.
This next picture is from the church of St. John, showing the locations of the 2nd and 3rd Ephesus. Ephesus 2 is in the valley in the foreground where the pillar is (just left of center of picture). Ephesus 3 is behind the first big brown hill with the fewest trees. It is to the 3rd Ephesus location we go next, and that will be the next email.
We first went to the ruins of the ancient church, the Basilica of St. John, which is at one of the locations of ancient Ephesus. Ephesus was built and rebuilt 4 times in its history. The 1st and 4th locations are in the same spot. During the time of the New Testament, Ephesus was at it's 3rd location.
It is HERE that the apostle John, who is referred to as John the evangelist (as opposed to John the baptist), was buried on this church on the hill.
John's tomb:
This is the baptismal font in this ancient church.
The baptismal font is aligned east-to-west for a specific reason. In the earliest traditions of the early church, how you were baptized was you enter the baptismal font facing West, you spit in the direction of West and publicly declare that you reject all forms of evil, you turn around and face East (a holy direction), and you immerse and come up facing East.
This next picture is from the church of St. John, showing the locations of the 2nd and 3rd Ephesus. Ephesus 2 is in the valley in the foreground where the pillar is (just left of center of picture). Ephesus 3 is behind the first big brown hill with the fewest trees. It is to the 3rd Ephesus location we go next, and that will be the next email.
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