St Peter in Gallicantu

In the Bible

Jesus was led to the house of Caiaphas the high priest. In the courtyard Peter three times denied knowing Him; the rooster crowed, and Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Luke 22:54–62Then they seized Jesus, led Him away, and took Him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance. When those present had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. A servant girl saw him seated in the firelight and looked intently at him. “This man also was with Him,” she said. But Peter denied it. “Woman, I do not know Him,” he said. A short time later, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” About an hour later, another man insisted, “Certainly this man was with Him, for he too is a Galilean.” “Man, I do not know what you are talking about,” Peter replied. While he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word that the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Matt 26:57Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.

Tradition

One tradition places the house of Caiaphas here, on the eastern slope of Mount Zion; another, higher up near the Armenian church of the Holy Saviour. The church recalls Peter's tears.

Here today

A church of 1931 with a rooster on its roof, over rock-cut chambers shown as a prison, beside ancient stone steps down to the Kidron valley.

Through the eyes of old pilgrims

On this side one goes up Sion, and sees where the house of Caiaphas the priest was, and there still stands a column against which Christ was beaten with rods.The Bordeaux Pilgrim, 333

And near there again is a place on the slope of the hill, to the east, and there is a very deep cave … and in that cave Peter wept bitterly over his denial; and over that cave a church is built in the name of the holy apostle Peter.Abbot Daniel, 1106–1108 · our translation

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Land outlines: Natural Earth (public domain).