St
Anne's Church
Jeusalem Old City
Jerusalem's Old city is divided into four districts, or
"quarters" as they are known: Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim.
Many of the best known churches and other Christian
institutions are located within the Muslim Quarter, due to the
historical fact that this part of the city was, in the 12th century,
administered by the Crusaders.
St. Anne's Church, built between 1131 and 1138, was named for
Anne, the mother of Mary, grandmother of Jesus. The church is
easy to find, just a short walk up the hill from St. Stephen's Gate,
also known as the Lion Gate, in the Muslim Quarter.
It is said to have been built on the site of the home of
Joachim and Anne, but a few doors down the street there is another
shrine at yet another supposed site of their home. In any event, St
Anne's is a beautiful example of
Crusader built Romanesque architecture and well worth a visit.
When Salah-a-din kicked the Crusaders out, the church became
a Madrassah, a school dedicated to Muslim religious studies. This is
commemorated in the
inscription above the door. It was later abandoned and used as a dump.
In 1856 the Ottoman Empire gave it to France. A restoration and cleanup
took place. Most of the church we see today is original.
Today the church and grounds still enjoy extra-territorial
status. As officially part of France, the Israeli police and armed
forces cannot enter to disrupt the tranquility of the church, White
Fathers (the order is named for the colour of their robes) monastery
and gardens.
St Anne's Church stands next to the Pool of Bethesda,
believed to be the site where Jesus healed the crippled young man (John
5:1-15). The pool has been a holy place and a place of healing for
several millenia. One can see the ruins of a Roman temple to Asclepius,
the Greek god of healing, dating from the time of Hadrian.
Jerusalemites
during the time of the Second Temple reportedly believed that an angel
would fly over the pool once each day, and that anyone in the pool at
that time would be healed. Consequently there were always sick and
crippled hopefuls lounging in the waters, waiting for a miracle. A
Byzantine church dedicated to Mary was built over the temple. There may
be even earlier pagan ruins beneath the Roman temple.
The accoustics of St Anne's are astounding. Any visitor is
welcome to try them out by singing any religious song, of any religion.
The
accoustics, designed to enhance Gregorian chant, are so perfect that
even my voice sounded professional.
The interior of the church is delightful in its simplicity.
Unlike many of the other holy sites in the city, its unadorned walls
with their clean lines invite a feeling of calm and spirituality. It is
not a large church, but from the entrance appears larger than it is. As
one approaches the altar, everything is slightly scaled down to present
an optical illusion of much greater size. Clever architects, those
Crusaders!
Beneath the church is a crypt holding an altar dedicated to
Mary. From the middle of the 16th century onward, Franciscans
celebrated Mass here.
Catholic masses are held in French on Sunday at 7 AM and at
6:45 AM from Monday-Saturday.
Some views of the St Anne's Church and the Valley of Bethesda.
To view any photo at full size, click on the photo with the
left mouse
button.
St Anne's Church.
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St Anne's Church complex and gardens.
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St Anne's Church complex and gardens.
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St Anne's Church.
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St Anne's Church.
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side entrance to St Anne's Church.
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Main entrance and inscription.
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Madrassah inscription above entrance.
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St Anne's complex.
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Interior of St Anne's Church.
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Interior of St Anne's Church.
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Interior of St Anne's Church.
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Interior of St Anne's Church.
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Interior of St Anne's Church.
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Interior of St Anne's Church.
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The ruins with the homes of the Muslim Quarter in the
background.
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The pool of Bethesda, through the arch.
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Ruin of the Byzantine church atop the pagan temple.
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The ruins, with St Anne's in the background.
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The ruins with St Anne's Church in the background.
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The ruins of the Byzantine church.
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The pool of Bethesda, where Christ healed the cripple.
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The pool of Bethesda surrounded by ancient ruins.
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A ruined arch, reminder that no human civilization lasts
forever.
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This page was updated on 7 December 2007.
This site was edited using Nvu and Style Master.
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St
Anne's Church
