Workers of different faiths built the exact-scale replica
ALFONSO, Philippines (AP) — The House of the Virgin Mary is a shrine in Ephesus, Turkey, where Catholic tradition holds that Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent her final years after his crucifixion and before her assumption into heaven. According to tradition, the apostle John brought her to the region to escape persecution in Jerusalem.
A replica of that structure now stands in a field outside Manila, in Alfonso, a town in Cavite province about 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of the capital, welcoming devotees in Asia’s largest Catholic nation.
“The idea began as a place of refuge,” said Dennis Paez, the priest who led the project. “This is a place where no questions (are) asked.”
The replica was inaugurated in 2024. Its 67-square-meter (720-square-foot) footprint mirrors the exact dimensions, shape, and look of every stone at the original site, according to Paez. Since opening, it has hosted Catholic pilgrimages, including celebrations for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in mid-July.
Paez said the replica took about 10 months to complete. Workers of different faiths took part in the construction, something Paez described as the Virgin Mary bringing all of her children together.
Paez is also a psychologist specializing in supporting youth. “The apostolate of this place is to accept people with unconditional positive regard,” he added. “There is no therapy here. The therapist is our Mother.”
The reproduction provides an accessible pilgrimage destination for Filipino Catholics, who previously would have had to travel to Turkey to visit the original Ephesus shrine.