House of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus (Meryem Ana Evi)

Marian title of Selçuk (Ephesus) (Province of Esmirna)
Recognized by the Church

According to local tradition, the apostle John took Mary to the hills near Ephesus, where she spent her final years. The visible structure is a Byzantine chapel, probably from the 13th century, rebuilt in the 20th century on top of 5th-6th century remains; the hypothesis of a 1st-2nd century dwelling beneath it is debated and not universally accepted. Identifying the site as Mary's house belongs to the realm of pious tradition, not historical certainty.

Main data

Origin and history

According to local tradition, the apostle John took Mary to the hills near Ephesus, where she spent her final years. The visible structure is a Byzantine chapel, probably from the 13th century, rebuilt in the 20th century on top of 5th-6th century remains; the hypothesis of a 1st-2nd century dwelling beneath it is debated and not universally accepted. Identifying the site as Mary's house belongs to the realm of pious tradition, not historical certainty.

The image and the sanctuary

The shrine is a small stone chapel on Nightingale Hill (Bülbül Dağ), near Mount Solmiso, known locally as Panaghia Kapulu. It was rediscovered in the late 19th century based on the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774–1824), a German Augustinian nun whose revelations—recorded by Clemens Brentano—described a house of Mary near Ephesus. Her beatification recognizes her sanctity, not the literal historicity of her visions. Father Julien Gouyet, and later the Lazarists of Izmir and Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey, spearheaded its identification, acquisition, and restoration. A spring flows near the house, to which devotion attributes healing properties.

Sponsorship and coronation

There is no record of formal patronage or canonical coronation. The Church recognizes the site as a sanctuary and place of pilgrimage, but has not ruled on the authenticity of the House of Mary.

Party and devotion

The main celebration is on August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption, with a large open-air Mass. The site is venerated by both Christians and Muslims, as the Quran honors Mary (Maryam) as the mother of the prophet Jesus (Isa); many Muslim pilgrims leave candles, votive offerings, and written petitions. Popes Paul VI (1967), John Paul II (1979), and Benedict XVI (2006) visited the site on pilgrimage.

Link to the Rosary

As Turkey's preeminent Marian shrine, the House of the Virgin is a popular place for pilgrims to pray the Rosary. Contemplating Mary's life in Ephesus with the Apostle John connects her to the joyful and glorious mysteries meditated upon in the Rosary.