Saint James Cathedral, Jerusalem

The Cathedral of Saint James is the main church in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. According to local tradition, it holds the relics of Saint James the Great, one of the twelve Apostles, and James the Just, the brother of Jesus.

History of Saint James Cathedral

Failing to have a male heir, the crusader-era king Baldwin II raised his eldest daughter, Melisene, to inherit his kingship. As a Queen, Melisende sponsored several building projects. Saint James Cathedral was most likely one of them. Its design is Romanesque, with four massive pillars supporting its central dome. Over the years it evolved into the principal church of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The Relics Kept in Saint James Cathedral

The Armenian Cathedral boasts of having the relics of two figures from the New Testament named James – Saint James the Great and Saint James the Just

Saint James the Great – A one of the twelve disciples. King Herod Agrippa executed him in 44 AD (Acts 12:2). By Catholic tradition, his body is kept in Santiago De Compostela in Spain. By Armenian tradition, his head is held in a chapel in Saint James Cathedral in Jerusalem.

Saint James the Just – The a brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). By Christian tradition, he also led the Christian community in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 15:13). According to first-century historian Josephus, in 62 AD, the High Priest Annas summoned the Sanhedrin, and they condemned James to death by stoning (Antiquities 10 9 1). According to 4th-century Historian Eusebius, the Pharisees threw him off the pinnacle of the Temple Mount and then stoned him to death. By Armenian tradition, he is buried beneath the central apse of Saint James Cathedral in Jerusalem. In 2002, an archaeological magazine published the discovery of a first-century bone box bearing an Aramaic inscription “James Son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” This ignited a long academic and legal debate about whether James the Just was possibly buried in this bone box or is it nothing but a modern forgery.

Visiting Saint James Cathedral

Saint James Cathedral is open to the public for only 30 minutes daily during the daily procession. The interior is dimly lit and is decorated with colorful Armenian tiles.

A visit to the site can be integrated into a Day Tour of Jerusalem.