菲律宾卡维特省阿方索镇于2024年完成了一座土耳其以弗所圣母玛利亚之家的复制建筑 [1]。这座占地67平方米的结构完全镜像原址的尺寸、形状和石材外观 [1]，距首都马尼拉约70公里 [1]。
该项目由神父丹尼斯·佩斯主持，耗时约10个月完成 [1]。佩斯表示，"这个想法最初是作为一个避难所而萌生的" [1]。建筑竣工后，已接待了多批天主教朝圣者，包括7月中旬圣母卡梅尔节的庆祝活动参与者 [1]。
该项目旨在为当地信徒提供一个近距离的朝圣地点 [1]。这反映了圣母玛利亚在菲律宾天主教信仰中的重要地位。菲律宾约113百万人口中，近80%信仰天主教 [1]。宗教学者德迪蕾·德拉克鲁斯指出，"菲律宾人认为玛利亚的母性品质很有意义，同时她还具有为信徒代祷的能力" [1]。这种信仰传统通常用"通过玛利亚到达耶稣"这一短语来表达 [1]。
A 67-square-meter replica of the House of the Virgin Mary has been completed in Alfonso, a town in Cavite province located approximately 70 kilometers south of Manila. [1] The structure, which opened in 2024, mirrors the dimensions, shape, and stone exterior of the original site in Ephesus, Turkey. [1]
The project, overseen by Father Dennis Paez, took approximately ten months to complete. [1] According to Father Paez, "The idea began as a place of refuge." [1] The replica has since welcomed multiple groups of Catholic pilgrims, including those who gathered there in mid-July for celebrations of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. [1]
The devotion reflects the central role of Mary in Filipino Catholic life. [1] Scholar Deirdre de la Cruz noted that "Her maternal dimension is what Filipinos find meaningful, as well as her power to intercede on believers' behalf." [1] In the Philippines, where approximately 113 million people live and nearly 80 percent practice Catholicism, the phrase "To Jesus through Mary" encapsulates this spiritual emphasis. [1]