House of the Virgin Mary

The House of the Virgin Mary is located on Bulbul Mountain, 9 km from Selcuk. According to tradition, St. John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus 4 to 6 years after the death of Jesus. In 1891, following the visions of a German nun, Anna Katharina Emmerick, Lazarist priests discovered what is believed to be the house where the Virgin Mary spent her final days. This discovery became a significant event in the Christian world, shedding light on a sacred site.

The structure, originally built in the shape of a cross, was later restored. Considered sacred by Muslims as well, the House of the Virgin Mary gained further recognition when Pope Paul VI visited in 1967. Since then, annual services have been held on August 15th, attracting Christian pilgrims from all over the world.

History of the House of the Virgin Mary

Jesus was 33 years old when he was crucified by the Romans in Jerusalem. Before taking his last breath, he entrusted his mother, Mary, to his close friend and disciple, St. John. To ensure her safety, St. John took her away from Jerusalem—then a dangerous city for Jews—and brought her to Ephesus. Since Ephesus was under Roman rule, he hid Mary in the forested area on the slopes of Mount Bulbul and built a house for her. It is also believed that St. John wrote his Gospel while in Ephesus. His tomb is located in the Basilica of St. John in Selcuk.

According to tradition, the Virgin Mary lived in Ephesus until the age of 101.

Discovery of the House of the Virgin Mary

The discovery of the House of the Virgin Mary near the ancient city of Ephesus began with the visions of Anna Katharina Emmerick (1774-1824), a German nun who had never been to Ephesus. In her dreams, she described a house located on a mountain behind Ephesus, with a view of both the city and the sea, and a nearby spring with cool water. Her visions were compiled into a book titled The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which attracted great interest in the Christian world. Inspired by this book, the Vatican initiated a search for the Virgin Mary’s house in 1881.

Ten years later, Eugene Poulin, the director of the French College in İzmir and an expert in Jewish traditions, studied Emmerick’s book and decided to organize an expedition to Ephesus. Although he could not go himself, he sent two priests and two Catholic researchers in his place.

On July 27, 1891, the four men set out on their journey. In Ephesus, they sought help from a local guide named Mustafa. Initially, they followed a lead from an Armenian Catholic priest who had claimed to find something in the Değirmendere area, but their search there yielded no results. Disappointed, they spent the night in Kuşadası and resumed their expedition the next day, using Emmerick’s book and a compass as their guide.

At around 11:00 AM on July 29, 1891, the group arrived at a small plateau where tobacco was being cultivated. Thirsty and exhausted, they asked the local women working in the fields for water. The women directed them to an old monastery, saying, "We have no water here, but you will find some at the monastery."

When the researchers arrived at the site, they were astonished. The ruined house, the mountain behind it, and the sea in the distance perfectly matched Emmerick’s description. For two days, they searched the surrounding hills, but the view of Ephesus and the sea could only be seen from the top of the mountain where the house was located. Convinced that they had found the House of the Virgin Mary, they returned to İzmir to share their findings.

Since its discovery, the site has become an important pilgrimage destination for Christians and a place of spiritual significance for people of various faiths.