This book is almost 2000 years overdue. As far as the matter which the title suggests is concerned we are well served after such a wait. The history of Meryemana, on a mountain above Efes, the ruins of the Roman Ephesus in present day Turkey, is well told. Indeed it is very well told with clear evidence of responsible research and no flowery excursions to swell the pages. Mind you, there is no other work I know of to judge it against so we must take Mr. Carroll at his word, but he holds the attention and inspires confidence. Well, anyway, from chapter three and thereafter.

Those unfamiliar with the story might like to know that Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824), a German mystic who never left the small area of Westphalia in Northern Germany where she was born, had visions about the house where Our Lady lived after the death of Christ. She described it during her ecstasies. Late in the 19th century French priests in Izmir followed up the clues she left and actually found a house, which has proved, to the satisfaction of many authorities, to be the house. Mr. Carroll goes into the details of the search and makes it a satisfying read.

Mr Carroll doesn't mention the vociferous few who advocate Jerusalem as the death place of Our Lady, and there is no reason why he should. Of course they may be right, but the manner of the ones I know undermines their argument. We simply don't know these things for certain, and heaven doesn't take any major steps to tell us. There is a possibility, though only just, that she died in Las Vegas. We won't know for certain till we get to the Kingdom and then it won't seem terribly important.

When balancing up the arguments for and against one can feel moved more towards one of the options or the other. That's fine for private devotion but to thunder it from a pulpit as a fact suggests a certain immaturity. In this world we do have the Church to guide us. The Church, wisely, is reticent about making absolute statements but on the dialogue as to the deathplace of the BVM, the fact that two reigning Popes (and one who was soon to be Pope) have gone to Meryemana privately to celebrate Mass, should say something to those whose hearts are hardened by the intractability of their own opinions.

I should declare an interest here as, a quarter of a century ago, I spent some years in nearby Izmir, formerly Smyrna, teaching at a High School there. I would often go down to Selçuk and never missed an opportunity to get a ride up the mountain to Meryemana. While hardly an authority I was as convinced as one can be of the authenticity of the claims from my first visit. And I remember, too, a Turkish student I was with grabbing my arm when I came out of the tiny house and asking, "What did she say to you? What did she say? Did she mention me?" That was faith talking, not self interest.

I say that Mr. Carroll inspires confidence from chapter three on, so what's wrong with the beginning of the book. Well, not too much really, but I couldn't help wondering if parts of it were written by the same hand. The historical stuff about Ephesus is O.K., though it's not really necessary here and one could find versions of the same anywhere. But, well, the very first sentence of the book is factually wrong. And then there is the hinting, (veils of silence...enveloped in secrecy... ) spelled out boldly in a web site ad for the book, that the Vatican tried to supress knowledge of the house. One almost expects to find Pius XII holed up there cowering from the Jewish question.

I don't want to carp, but I don't think early Christians can be described as a "little sect of troublemakers" with any historical accuracy. Ephesus was not the birthplace of Christianity. It might have flourished there but "birthplace" suggests muddied thinking. Then comes the allusion that the Fathers of the Council of Ephesus in the 5th century confirmed the Theotokos (God-bearer) doctrine but intentionally covered up the existence of Mary's connection with Ephesus. "When they left", the writer says, "they took the Mother of God with them to continue life in icons, statues etc". This is supposition at its unhappiest. And pages 33 and 34 are awash with similar, quite unnecessary embarrassments.

One pitfall of writing on religious subjects for a general market is bending over backwards, as the saying has it, to accommodate non- believers. On the whole Mr. Carroll avoids this, which is commendable, yet at the same time he manages to make the Blessed Virgin sound like an old lady parading around heaven miffed because her Ephesian house hasn't been a major tourist attraction since she graced the building by dying there. He gives the impression that Our Lady's glory rests on publicity, that the world's criteria is the basis for heavenly organization.

But having said that, Mr. Carroll's enthusiasm is contageous and he is a fine story teller. Perhaps in future books he could leave the grooming of history, and theology, to professional historians and theologians. And perhaps publishers could offer a little more editorial advice. It doesn't enhance a Catholic publisher's reputation to let expresions like "divine Mary" pass to the printer, or to describe the crusades as "ludicrous and murderous" expeditions. I've never liked them much either, but I like gratuitous estimates even less.

Veritas is not the Irish publishing and bookselling firm. This one is London based, of Polish provenance, and it bore the name, I believe, before the Irish Company was established. My quibbles apart, they have produced a much-needed book, illustrated it sumptuously and offer it at a commendably realistic price. While quite shamelessly urging it on the reader I would also recommend a little editing to the Publisher, should there be a second edition.

© Leo Madigan - Leo Madigan Homepage

Theotokos Catholic Books - Book Reviews Section - www.theotokos.org.uk