St Lukes Grave
Apostle or Evangelist Luke is the author of the Gospel of Luke, the companion of the Apostle Paul (Phil 1:24, 2 Tim 4:10-11). St. Luke was born in Antioch, studied Greek philosophy, medicine, and art in his youth. He came to Jerusalem believing in Lord Jesus. He and Cleopas met the resurrected Lord on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24).

St. Luke wrote the Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles. Luke was 84 years old when the wicked idolaters tortured him for the sake of Christ and hanged him from an olive tree in the town of Thebes, in Boethia. He was the patron of the medical profession. He was reported to be a fine painter and is also patron of artists, painters, sculptors, craft workers and lacemakers.

His symbol was the bull, the third symbolical beast mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), which is a symbol of Christ's sacrificial and priestly office, as said by St. Irenaeus.

In Ephesus there was a circular structure which was described as the grave of St Luke because of the bull carved into the door.

If you are interested in religious matters, you may want to visit St. Lucas's Grave, before you enter the Ephesus city, which is at the parking place on the left hand side of the road towards the shopping area just after the Magnesia Gate.

 Archaeologists still discuss the purpose of these remains. This place, according to the archaeologists, should to be a heroon (a sanctuary or a temple-tomb for the heroes). During the 1866 excavations, the English archaeologist John T. Wood discovered a pillar engraved with cross and a bull. These were the symbols of evangelist St. Luke.