The Destruction of the Temple of Diana

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The Destruction of the Temple of Diana
Adapted from The Golden Legend and The Mystical City of God: The Coronation by Ven Mary of Agreda

TIA | September 27, 2025


Despite the many miracles worked by Apostle John before the eyes of the people of Ephesus, the people refused to convert. Instead, they worshiped the false virgin Diana (or Artemis in Greek) in the magnificent and richly adorned Temple of Diana, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Roman goddess Diana, patron of the Hunt, was called Artemis in Ephesus [...]

That temple held the statue of the false goddess Diana, whom the Devil had communicated with and filled with diabolical illusions. He also taught her some ceremonies and forms of worship similar to those of the people of God by which she and the people would worship the Devil. Thus did the rest of the counterfeit virgins and heathens of Ephesus come to venerate her as a goddess.

We say “counterfeit” virgins because Diana and all those who entered the temple committed the worst crimes and abominations, making the temple in fact no more than a brothel. Thus these temple virgins deceived the world with their hoaxes and prophecies which Lucifer inspired. Truly it was as if Lucifer had made the idol of Diana the seat of his wickedness.

This and much more Most Holy Mary beheld around her in Ephesus, and because of it she was struck with a great sorrow. She beseeched her Divine Son in prayer to put an end to this travesty:

“Most High Lord, and God, worthy of all reverence and praise, it is reasonable that these abominations which have lasted for so many ages be terminated. My heart cannot suffer seeing a wretched and abominable woman given the worship of the true Divinity, of which Thou alone as the infinite God art worthy, nor the name of chastity so profaned and dedicated to the demons.”

She implored that the title of virgin must be saved for those daughters consecrated to Him, and that it should no longer be falsely claimed by those adulterous women. Then she beseeched her Son to chastise Lucifer and allow the many souls deceived by the false tyranny of the pagan temple to come forth from their slavery into the liberty of the Faith and true light. The Lord granted her petition, although He warned her that only some of the false virgins would accept the Faith.

So, the Virgin Mary instructed the Apostle John to go to the Temple of Diana and call together the people so that, with the help of the Angels, He might exorcise the demons from it and destroy it at his command and prayer.

When St. John had assembled the people in the temple, he addressed these words to their pagan priest and the people: “Since you believe that your goddess Diana has so great power, call ye upon her and require her by her power to subvert and overthrow the Church of Christ. And if she does so, I shall do sacrifice to her. But if she does not, then let me pray unto my God Jesus Christ that He overthrow her temple, and if He does so, then all ye believe in Him.”

Our Lady implores her Son for the destruction of the Temple of Diana, and He accedes to her petition

The false priest of the temple prayed to the goddess, but nothing happened. But when St. John prayed to his Lord Jesus Christ, the altar of Diana split into many pieces, and all the offerings laid up in the temple fell to the floor and its glory was shattered, along with many of the pagan images. More than half the temple fell down, and the false priest was killed in one stroke as a pillar came down on him.

The assembled people wept and cried aloud for mercy and some took flight in fear. Then the Ephesians cried out: “There is but one God, the God of John! We are converted now that we have see your marvelous works!”

And the people rising from the ground went running and threw down the rest of the idol temple, crying out: “The God of John is the only God we know. Henceforth we worship Him, since He has had mercy upon us.”

Later, after Mary Most Holy had returned to Jerusalem some of the Ephesians erected a less costly and more ordinary temple, which never again held the hearts of the people as before, but gradually fell from neglect into decay as Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire. Today a few broken column fragments is all that remains of the pagan temple.

The ruins of the Temple today