Have you ever been to the ARMENIAN QUARTER of the Old City??

Most people have heard of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem.  But what about the Armenian Quarter? Who are these people? Since I am taking a class on "Christian Communities in the East" I had to find out...so I walked there today to go to their Armenian Library to do some research. 

Here's the entrance to St. James Cathedral (an Armenian Orthodox church), but also the entrance to the courtyards, school, residences, the whole community. The Armenians are a tight-knit group of strong Christian people who survived their own holocaust - a horrific genocide by the Ottoman Turks in 1915-1923, approx. 1 1/2 million (out of 2 million) Armenians were brutally murdered by the Muslim Turks who wanted to annihilate them all, and their Armenian communities were literally wiped off the map in Turkey. Many fled here to Jerusalem, so most of the residents here are refugees or descendants of refugees of that genocide.

I had to get permission to enter the courtyards and find my way to the library. Most of the Armenians in Jerusalem live in this compound.  (There were about 16K Armenians living here in 1948, but now its down to less than 1000)

Here I am in the Armenian Library...here are housed all the books and records of their history, and all the names and communities that were lost in the genocide. The librarian was very helpful and got some books down for me to use for a research paper.

Walking from the library deeper down into the community (had to ask the librarian where to go) - looking to visit a little church that's only open from 3 -3:30 pm daily when they have a service.

The small entrance to another courtyard - where the Church of the Holy Archangels is. This is a church built over where it is believed Caiaphas and his father-in-law Annas lived - where Jesus was brought the first night of his torture- and where he was held in prison overnight.

Ceramic tile portrait of the holy angels - who were said to hide their faces when Jesus was struck by the High Priest.

 Inside the small ancient church (from 11th century) - I could hear the service going on when I got there

The Armenian priests were chanting and singing their liturgy in their native tongue (Armenian). I didn't go in but just listened awhile to their prayers and deep loud singing of all the men in there. I wanted to in and see the place they call the 'prison of Jesus', but there was no way to go inside :(  I had to just peek through the doorway. Wanna know what they sounded like??   LISTEN HERE:

Outside of the church of Holy Archangels

Walking back to the library

Passed by their health clinic...the nice lady there told me they are open in the afternoons for residents only, and/or for students at their Armenian seminary.

Walking through the Armenian Quarter back to school

Walking toward the southern walls of the Old City. You can see the bell tower of Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion, which is right next to my school, JUC

Passing by the walls

Perfect place to poke a gun or bow and arrow through...or toss out a water balloon:)

This is what it looks like when you first come through Zion Gate, and there are some Armenian shops on the left.

So I leave through Zion Gate for the short walk back to JUC.  I've decided I like the Armenian quarter, and the Armenians, and will definitely go back...