The Catholic Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu is built in memory of the sin of man and the sufferings of God. Place on the eastern slope of Mount Zion, where it stands, given the name, derived from the Latin galli cantum («cock crow"). Tradition holds that here was the palace of the high priest Caiaphas, the dungeon where Jesus spent the night before his execution. Here the apostle Peter denied Christ three times, until the cock crowed.

This tells all four Gospels. During the Last Supper of Christ, Peter swore that he was ready with Him to prison and to death (bas-relief on the doors of the church shows Jesus and Peter at this point). Suddenly, that words can become reality: Christ arrested, the apostles fled. Peter scary. Yes, he came after the arrest Jesus to the palace of Caiaphas, but just quietly sat by the fire, wormed his way among the people. And suddenly - a terrible threat, it identified "a certain maid, having seen him sitting by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, said, This man was with him. But he denied, saying, Woman, I know him not "(Luke 22: 56-57).

That's right - Non novi illum («I do not know him" in Latin) - is called a sculptural group in the churchyard. The scene is depicted with astonishing abdication certainty: a female servant, Peter himself, pretended Diluting hands behind hangs a Roman soldier, and a column singing rooster.

This cock everywhere here. From a distance it is visible the gilded figure on the black cross of the church dome. He is at the gate, on the doors, the painting inside the temple Jesus in chains looks at Peter (episode described by Luke), and behind rooster.

Church of St. Peter and reminds of the sufferings of Jesus. She herself was built in 1931 and very young at Jerusalem's standards, is on the rocks Byzantine church of V century. Under the ground were not only its walls, but also the times of the Second Temple Caves. Such spaces are often served as tanks, were the norm for many buildings of the Roman era. But the cellars of the palace of Caiaphas may have been used as a prison. "Camera", which might put Jesus - in fact prison cell where prisoner lowered on a rope.

At the place where the church stands, in the XIX century were excavated: see the remains of houses, baths, water. Excavations have discovered and wide stone road descends into the valley of Kidron. Apparently, the road connects the upper city to the lower during the time of the First Temple. Many assume that it after the Last Supper, Jesus went to Gethsemane. On it were the same Jesus back - to the priest, Caiaphas. The same steps stealthily walked Teacher Peter meet his sin.

However, realizing that done, Peter immediately and fully repented sincerely - "And he went out and wept bitterly" (Matthew 26:75). Jesus not only forgave him, but after his resurrection confirmed the important mission of the apostle: "Feed my sheep" (Jn 21:16). Committed a terrible sin, but repentant Peter became the first bishop of Rome thus the rock on which stands the church, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).