St Paul in Efesus

St Paul's first visit to Ephesus was during his second journey. Here St. Paul went into the synagogues and spoke on various subjects. When asked by the Ephesians to stay longer he answered "if it God's will I will come back to you". When some time later he came back to Ephesus once more on his third journey he stayed a very long time. His first job on coming to Ephesus was to baptise the Christians already here. Later lie worked to spread the word of Jesus Christ in the synagogues, experienced various disputes, accepted the insults against him from his opponents, and in the face of his enemies and those who wished him ill never lost patience. For years he had people of whatever race and creed listen to his sermons on the teachings of Jesus Christ. He never ceased even when travelling from house to house in preaching just as he did in open air meetings and in the sinagogues.
And in this period he performed many miracles. Those that were sick were seen to be rid of their evil spirits and quickly improve in health when touched with the garments that St. Paul had worn. These miracles had the effect of greatly enhancing the respect in which Jesus Christ and St. Paul were held. Those that were concerned and provoked by the effects that these miracles were having in increasing quickly the spread of Christianity and the lack of respect being shown to the Goddess of Ephesus, Artemis, and her temple dragged some of the companions of St. Paul to the city theatre where there was an ill disciplined dispute. After this agitation St. Paul went to Macedonia to try and attract new disciples. When he arrived back from Macedonia at Milet he invited the City Elders of Ephesus and told them with a heavy heart and with tears how he -served to God and continued to spread the word inspite of all trials and tribulations. However lie told them that he had to go to Jerusalem.

St. Paul spent the years 53-56 A.D. in Ephesus and wrote his epistles that appear in the Bible here explaining God's decrees to the Ephesians, Galatians and other communities.
Ephesus is an important city in terms of Christianity. Home to one of the seven churches of Revelation, Ephesus is the place where the Third Ecumenical Council was held in 431 A.D. Gospel author John the Evangelist who was given the task of conveying message to the first seven churches lived here in Ephesus. One of the caves in the legend of Seven Sleepers that is believed throughout Anatolia is also found in Ephesus.

House of Virgin Mary

The mother of Jesus Christ , the virgin Mary spent her last years in Ephesus in a small house on Mt.Bülbül until she passed on Also a holy place for Muslims as well as a place of pilgrimage for Christians there are religious ceremonies every yesr on August 15th sanctionned by the Vatican, House of Virgin Mary was visited by Pope Paul in 1967, by Pope John II in 1979 and by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

Church of Virgin Mary

This is the first church dedicated to Virgin Mary Another importance of this church in the history of the Christianity is that it was the place where the Third Ecumenical Council was held in the year 431.

Cave of St. Paul

Carved out of rock, the cave is on the northern slopes of ML Bülbül It consists of a corridor with the dimensions of 15x2 m and a room connected with this corridor. Close to the entrance are depictions of St. Paul and St. Thecla. In interior parts is an inscription which reads'God, help your servant Timothy' and other inscriptions beseeching Paul.

Church of St. John

John the Evangelist came to Ephesus with the Virgin Mary. The Emperor Domitian wanted him executed but he escaped each attempt to kill him by performing a miracle. After spending a time in exile he came to Ephesus and this is where he died. It is believed that he lived and died in the foot hills of Ayasuluk Peak. For this reason the first monumental tomb dedicated to him was built here in the 2nd and 3rd C. A.D. In the 4th C.A.D. a church was onstructed in place of this which had some changes made to it by the Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora who had had the church of Haghia Sophia (Ayasofya) in Istanbul built. Being the most splendid building in Anatolia after Haghia Sophia it was very important. It is believed that the tomb of John the Evangelist is in this church.