Dungeon of Christ (Jerusalem, Israel)

Orthodox Greek Church with the inscription above the entrance: 'The Dungeon of Christ.' The church was built on the very spot where, according to tradition, Jesus Christ was imprisoned before being brought before Pilate's judgment. Together with the Savior, a robber named Barabbas was in the underground prison. And, quite possibly, other criminals: for example, the prudent robber who repented on the cross - and the second, unrepentant. It is from this miniature church that Orthodox pilgrims begin to follow the Sorrowful Path.

Since 1911, the Greek Orthodox Church began to consider the place where Christ was kept before His meeting with Pilate, it was this structure with underground grottoes. The Church of the Imprisonment was arranged above it. On the way down, along the ancient steps, the view of the visitor opens up grottoes, more than two thousand years ago, turned into cells for the temporary detention of criminals; inside each of them there is a special flat elevation. The main local shrine is a niche in the wall of one of these cells, with a stone bench. This is the place of Christ's imprisonment.

The Place of the Imprisonment of Christ is sometimes confused with another place in the northern part of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is called the 'Ties of the Savior', which, of course, is not true. If the Savior stayed in the prison of Pretoria awaiting the trial of the procurator Pilate, then in a small cave near Calvary He, surrounded by Roman guards, waited until the preparations for the crucifixion were completed.
In the Greek church, built over the Dungeon of Christ, many armchairs were installed for the convenience of those who came. Otherwise, this temple has a rather austere interior, decorated only with many large icons. Of course, there are those among them that depict the Savior in chains in the last hours of his earthly life.

Unfortunately, the Greek church, from which one can descend into the dungeon of the first century AD - the very one where Christ languished - is not always open. Therefore, if you, having become interested in our small virtual tour, someday find yourself in the Holy City and see its doors open - do not hesitate to go inside.