Cathedral of St. James, the jewel of Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, is located just outside the main entrance to the Armenian Quarter. Temple, considered one of the most magnificent in the Middle East, the tourist can visit only during the service, and then not always. But those who are lucky, will be impressed by the unusual beauty of the cathedral.

Strictly speaking, the temple dedicated to St. James is not one, but two - "senior" and "junior". Elder called the Apostle James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John the Evangelist. Both brothers, nicknamed "sons of thunder" (probably because of the hot temper), - of the first disciples of Christ. Jacob was present at the transfiguration of Jesus, along with Peter and John; the first of the twelve apostles was martyred for his faith - his sword beheaded King Herod Agrippa I. Jacob, Jr., "brother of the Lord" (most likely, a cousin of Jesus) - the first Bishop of Jerusalem, whom the Jews stoned.

Armenian tradition holds that St. James was beheaded on the spot where now stands the cathedral, and his head buried under the northern wall of the temple, and the body of the younger James - under the altar.

Cathedral area of ​​350 square meters and a height of 18 meters was built in the XII century, and is decorated mainly in the XVIII century. Has already attracted the attention of the outside courtyard - the walls are decorated with traditional Armenian art, khachkars (carved in stone crosses). The oldest of them dates back to the XII century.

In the courtyard of an openwork lattice - paintings depicting the Last Judgement, two of St. James and the Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew, patron of the Armenian Apostolic Church. On both sides of the main entrance - the altar wall. They were used as Saladin, and then the Turks captured Jerusalem (the temple at the time was closed). Near the entrance hangs a long wooden board. It beat - gong on which the deacons were beaten with wooden hammers, summoning the congregation, when Muslims banned chimes. The tradition is maintained to this day.

The interior of the cathedral is amazing. From the height of the vaulted dome of the set on chains hanging lamps and ceramic Easter eggs. In the church there is no electricity, only oil lamps, candles and dome windows illuminate the space typical of Armenian church architecture: three naves, separated by four rectangular pillars. Remarkable altars (main cut of precious wood and covered with gilded filigree), inlaid with mother-of-the throne of St. James the younger, blue tiles, two meters from the floor covering the columns and walls.

During the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 inhabitants of the Armenian quarter of the cathedral was used as a bomb shelter. The story of the night, when there are more than a thousand shells fell, but no one was hurt - the wall thickness of a meter reliably protected. However, not all and not always have time to take cover. Memorial plaque at the entrance points to the resting place of 94th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Gurega Israelian - his heart gave out in 1949, too often he was holding the dead compatriots.