An icon of the Virgin Mary in a cave

Suspended at almost 4,000 feet of elevation on top of an impressive cliff, the Sümela monastery in Turkey was founded in the year 386 by two Greek monks, Barnabas and Sophronios, in honor of a rare icon of the Blessed Virgin.

After Barnabas and Sophronios discovered the icon on the wall of a cave in the steep slopes of the mountain, they decided to stay there and build a monastery.

Currently closed to visitors on account of important consolidation works to prevent landslides, the monastery is due to reopen at the end of 2018.

Even though this monastery was converted into a museum when the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed in 1923, it is still considered to be a Marian shrine, held in great honor by Orthodox Christians. Each year, around 1 million tourists and pilgrims visit the Sümela Monastery.

Source: Monastery of Sumela