St Peter in Gallicantu

Kay will teach today in the courtyard of St Peter of Gallicantu.

"After the Supper, Jesus left the Upper Room with His disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley."

It was from the Upper Room that they went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.

"Those who had arrested Jesus took him Caiaphas the High Priest."

On the southeastern slope of Mt Zion is the traditional location for the house of Caiaphas. It was another early morning with the sun just coming up over the Mount of Olives. The church was built in 1931. (Again, sorry for the quality of the picture but I was shooting into the sun! Never a good idea!)

The statue commemorates Peter's denial at the questioning of a young servant girl. At the top of the pole is the rooster who crowed. Inscribed on the statue is “Non novi illum” which means “I do not know him.” (Luke 22:57)

The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. Luke 22:61-62

I don't think that it's our sins that make us weep "bitterly" though they have a part in it. I think Peter was reminded when the Lord turned and looked in the eye of the Savior he had sinned against.

But the most beautiful part of Peter's story is in John 21 after the Lord's resurrection when He asks Peter three times, "Do you love Me?" Three... one for each denial! And Peter is called into the ministry when the Shepherd says, "Tend My sheep." Complete restoration!!

The courtyard is off to the side of the church and some believe that it is the area where Christ would have been scourged.

We always began our time of worship with a song.

Just like everywhere we have been in Jerusalem it is amazing to consider where you are in light of what occurred here. This is where the high priest lived. From here, Jesus and his disciples walked to the Mount of Olives. Here, Jesus was brought back to the city after his betrayal and arrest. Here, Jesus faced his accusers. Here, He was imprisoned for part of a night. Here, Peter denied his Lord. Here, Peter himself, along with John, was later imprisoned .

Jesus was arrested and taken to Caiaphas the high priest.

Just below the wall where I was sitting was the steps depicted in the sculptured relief above.

This stone pathway actually predates Jesus by 100 -150 years and it crosses the Kidron Valley and climbs the Mount of Olives where you would find the Garden of Gethsemane.

This picture I took from the courtyard and in the distance you can see the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount.

Behind me on the other side of the stone pathway was perched Kay's son, David. (on the left)

"Servus Domini" Latin for Servant of God

I thought you might want to spend a little time in the courtyard at the house of Caiaphas. It is just a taste but a delicious one I think!

The Sacred Pit

If you can possibly read the above it will help to explain the pictures below.

Under the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu, a dungeon type chamber, hewn out of bedrock, testifies to the type of power the high priest wielded. A single entrance, or portal, in the floor was the means by which a prisoner was confined in the dark cells below. The only way in or out for a prisoner was via a rope.

While we were in the pit, we read Psalm 88 about being lowered into the lowest pit. We could imagine Jesus being lowered into this pit by a rope. It would have been absolute darkness. “You have put me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the depths.” (Psalm 88:6) The Byzantines built the steps to get into the pit as a part of their church. The only entrance in Jesus’ time was the hole.

"You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." 2 Peter 17-18