Christ Church

Although quite new compared to the centuries-old churches of the Old City of Jerusalem, Christ Church was actually the first Protestant Church in the Middle East. Christ Church is an Anglican church, built in 1849, located meters from Jaffa Gate inside the Old City. The Church was established by the London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews, an Anglican missionary society which is now known as the Church’s Ministry among the Jews (CMJ), who still administer the Church today. In 1842, Michael Solomon Alexander, a former rabbi, arrived in Jerusalem as the first Anglican Bishop in the Middle East and set about plans to build Christ Church. At the time, Jerusalem was under Ottoman control and Ottoman law forbade the construction of new churches. In order to work around this ban, the new church was described as the chapel of the British Consul, whose consulate was located within the same compound at the time. Bishop Alexander did not see the Church’s completion, as he passed away three years after assuming his position, instead Christ Church was consecrated on January 21st, 1849 by Bishop Samuel Gobat. Christ Church was constructed in a simple Gothic style. Stone masons were brought from Malta in order to build the Church because local stone masons at the time weren’t familiar with the methods to create a structure with such thin, high walls. From the outside Christ Church resembles the traditional style common of Anglican churches, however inside it is described as resembling a synagogue more than a church. Like a synagogue, the Church was built facing the Temple Mount, and the communion table and stained-glass windows feature script in Hebrew and Jewish symbols, like the Star of David. There are depictions of the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Ten Commandments in Hebrew. The Church did not have a cross until 1948. As the story goes, in order to convince the Jordanian army, who had taken control of the Old City, that Christ Church was in fact a church, the rector went to the market and bought an olive-wood cross to place on the communion table. Today, there are Hebrew, Arabic, and English-speaking congregations in the Church, and celebrations of both Christian and Jewish Holidays. Christ Church is located at an excellent starting point in order explore the Old City. When entering through Jaffa Gate, Christ Church is only 200 meters to the right. It sits opposite the Tower of David, very near the Armenian Quarter and the markets of the Old City. Christ Church also has a guesthouse and a cafe, offering accommodations or nice break for tea or coffee.