This church commemorates Peter's triple denial of Christ and has the rooster atop a black cross on the roof. It is thought to be built on or near Caiaphas's house. The church is built on a hillside and has four different levels. We went to the dungeon where it is said that Christ was let down through a hole in the rock (with rope) to the PIT, or dungeon to await trial.

While in the PIT or dungeon, we thought about Joseph of Egypt being in the pit as a symbol of Christ being in a pit. Also Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail, which was similar to a dungeon. In D&C 122:7-9 we read "if thou shalt be cast into the pit or into the hands of murderers...The Son of Man hath descended below them all. I don't know if Christ was put into a dungeon, but I did feel the Holy Ghost witness that Christ did understand what Joseph Smith had experienced.

Hole in the upper rock where prisoners were let down with ropes into the dungeon.

Excavatons at St. Peter in Gallicantu have revealed a water cistern, corn mill, storage chanbers and servants' quarters. Artifacts include a complete set of weights and measures for liquids and solids as used by the priests in the Temple, and a door lintel with the word "Korban" (sacrificial offering) inscribed there.

These steps were discovered by excavations and are the stepped street which in Christ's time descended from Mount Zion to the Kidron Valley. These stone steps were certainly in use at the time of Christ. On the evening of his arrest, he probably descended them with his disciples on their way from the Last Supper to Gethsemane. And, even if the House of Caiaphas was situated further up Mount Zion than the present church, it would have been by this route that Jesus was brought under guard to the high priest's house.

Stones and mosaic floor probably from 5th century Byzantine

Lovely grounds around the church

Byzantine ruins just beyond the current church