Location Old City, Jerusalem Churchmanship Evangelical Consecrated 21 January 1849 Phone +972 2-627-7727 | Denomination Anglican Dedication Jesus Christ Opened 1849 | |
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Website www.cmj-israel.org/CMJ-Ministries/Christ-Church/Overview Address The Armenian Patriarchate St 55, Jerusalem, 91140 Diocese Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Founder Church's Ministry Among Jewish People Similar Church of the Redeeme, Cathedral of Saint James - J, Jaffa Gate, Church of Ecce Homo, St George's Cathedral Profiles | ||
Christ Church, Jerusalem, is an Anglican church located inside the Old City of Jerusalem. The building itself is part of a small compound just inside the Jaffa Gate opposite King David's citadel. Consecrated by Bishop Samuel Gobat in 21 January 1849, it is the oldest Protestant church building in the Middle East.
Its congregation is mainly composed of English-speaking Jewish Christians, with both Christian and Jewish festivals being celebrated.
History
Originally named the "Apostolic Anglican Church", it was consecrated as "Christ Church" on 21 January 1849 by Bishop Samuel Gobat. Three architects worked on the church, the first, William Curry Hillier, died in 1840 of typhus, while the second James Wood Johns, was dismissed and replaced by Matthew Habershon in 1843.
The construction of the church was met with considerable local and Ottoman opposition. Lord Shaftesbury and other prominent Restorationists lobbied consecutive Foreign Secretaries in its advocacy. On 18th March 1845 a petition signed by 1,400 clergy and 15,000 laity was presented to Lord Aberdeen in support of the project.
Christ Church was the seat of the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem until the opening of St. George's Cathedral, Jerusalem in 1899.
Prior to the outbreak of the First World War, the Christ Church compound was also the site of the British Consulate. The building survived the Israeli War of Independence and the Six-Day War intact and continues to function as an Anglican church with several English, Arabic and Hebrew speaking congregations. The current rector is David Pileggi.
The London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews (now known as the Church's Ministry Among Jewish People or CMJ) helped finance the church's construction.