Saint Peter in Galicantu

After Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was lead by his captors to the house of Annas and Caiaphas to be tried. Where was this trial held? Well, in all honesty, we don't know. However, it is reasonable to assume that it took place in the Upper City of Jerusalem, where many of the upper-class people lived. In modern Jerusalem, there are a couple of areas that are discussed possible locations for this event. One of the locations is called Saint Peter in Galicantu (St. Peter of the Cock Crowing). There is a Jewish excavation at this location with a modern church building on top of it. Regardless of whether or not this is the exact location, it is interesting to consider the distances Jesus had to walk on that fateful evening. In the picture at right is the view from Saint Peter in Galicantu toward the northeast. On the left side of the picture you can see the wall of the Temple Mount and the al-Asqa Mosque. In the distance, on the right, you can see the gold domes of the Russian Orthodox Church of Maria Magdalene. The traditional location of Gethsemane is very near that church.

After Jesus was arrested, He was led from Gethsemane to the house of Annas. If these two locations are correct, then that distance would have been a little under a mile. And, remember, this is very late at night (if not early the next morning) after being awake the full day before.

I was reminded of this because of a post on Ferrell Jenkins' blog this morning. In fact, the primary blog picture is one that he took a couple of years ago. Lord willing, I'll be back in this area in a little over a week. I'll try to post more information then.