St. Peter's Church, Jaffa

St. Peter's Church (Hebrew: כנסיית פטרוס הקדוש‎) is a Franciscan church in Jaffa, part of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel.

St. Peter's Church
St. Peter's Church in 2013
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholicism
LeadershipFranciscans
Year consecrated1654
Location
LocationJaffa, Israel
Geographic coordinates32°3′17.2″N 34°45′7.5″E
Architecture
StyleNew Spanish Baroque
Groundbreaking1888
Completed1894
Specifications
Direction of façadeSoutheast
Spire(s)1

History

Ottoman period

The church was built in 1654 and dedicated to Saint Peter, over a medieval citadel that was erected by Frederick I and restored by Louis IX of France at the beginning of the second half of the thirteenth century.[1] However, in the late eighteenth century the church was twice destroyed and consequently twice rebuilt. The current structure was built between 1888 and 1894 and most recently renovated in 1903.[2]

Today

Masses are conducted in English, Spanish, Polish, and Hebrew. A schedule is available at the church and it is open to the public every day.[3] Among contemporary worshippers are Polish foreign workers who come here to pray on Saturdays, their day off.[4]

Architecture
Bonaparte Visiting the Plague Victims of Jaffa

With its tall, brick façade and towering bell tower, St. Peter's Church is the single largest and most distinctive building in Old Jaffa. The interior of the church is reminiscent of cathedrals in Europe, with a high vaulted ceiling, stained glass, and marble walls. The stained glass was manufactured in Munich by renowned artist Franz Xaver Zettler. The four panels in the interior of the church depict episodes from the life of St. Peter, including the miraculous catch of fishes, the giving of the keys, the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor and the washing of the feet at the Last Supper. With the exception of depictions of Tabitha, Francis of Assisi, and the Immaculate Conception, all of the other windows in the church depict Spanish saints, which is unsurprising since the present building was erected by the Spanish Empire. Also of note is the pulpit which is carved in the shape of a lifelike tree.[1]

St. Peter's Church also contains thirteenth century remnants of St. Louis' citadel located outside and to the right of the sacristy. The remnants include two whole rooms which are circular in shape, have low ceilings and fire embrasures. It is in these rooms that Napoleon is said to have lived while he was at St. Peter's in 1799 during the French campaign in Egypt and Syria.[1]

Significance

The church was constructed on its present location because of the significance Jaffa has to Christianity. It was in Jaffa that Saint Peter raised Tabitha, one of Jesus' disciples, from the dead according to the Acts of the Apostles, Acts 9:36-43, Acts 10:1-4. The church is dedicated to him.[5]

Since the large church is located on a hill near the shore, the building has historically dominated the view of Jaffa from the sea, thus serving as a beacon to pilgrims, signaling that the Holy Land is near.[2]

  • View from the south at night
  • Church entrance
  • Church interior
  • The bell tower of the Church

See also

References

Media related to Roman Catholic Saint Peter Church, Jaffa at Wikimedia Commons

  1. Kliot, Nurit; Yoel Mansfeld; Keren Sagi (2006). Christian Tourism to the Holy Land: Pilgrimage During Security Crisis. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-4703-4.
  2. "St. Peter's Church". Israel Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  3. "St. Peter's Church and Monastery". American Airlines. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  4. Beck, Mordechai. "The Magic of Jaffa". The Hagshama Department of the World Zionist Organization. Archived from the original on October 20, 2007. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  5. "Saint Peter in Jaffa". btlr.com. Archived from the original on 2006-11-10. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
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