Author of the Bible's fourth Gospel and the book of Revelation, St. John was an apostle, evangelist, and prophet. His movement throughout Europe and Asia is documented in many historical and sacred books, and it is known he was at the feet of Jesus during the crucifixion. After Jesus' death, it is believed John took Jesus' mother, Mary, to Ephesus where he lived out the duration of his life.
The perceived gravesite of John in Selcuk, just two miles from ancient Ephesus, was enclosed by a humble church in the 4th century. In the 6th century, Emperor Justinian, believing the tomb was that of St. John's, built a magnificent church in the same location and transformed the area into a sacred site. Its brick and marble construction was rare at the time, and if reconstructed today the cathedral would be the seventh largest in the world.
St. John's grave
A view from the basilica wall toward Isabey Mosque
View of Selcuk from the basilica wall
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