Christ Church, Jerusalem

Christ Church
Christ Church, Jerusalem
Christ Church Location in Old Jerusalem
31°46′35.5″N 35°13′39.7″E / 31.776528°N 35.227694°E / 31.776528; 35.227694Coordinates: 31°46′35.5″N 35°13′39.7″E / 31.776528°N 35.227694°E / 31.776528; 35.227694
Location	Old City, Jerusalem
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Evangelical
Website	www.cmj-israel.org/CMJ-Ministries/Christ-Church/Overview
History
Founder(s)	London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews
Dedication	Jesus Christ
Consecrated	21 January 1849
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Completed	1849
Administration
Diocese	CMJ
Province	Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
Clergy
Rector	David Pileggi

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.

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 18 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.