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Caiaphas' HouseBeneath the Church of Peter Gallicantu
Beneath the upper church is a chapel which incorporates stone from
ancient grottos inside its walls. Down a hole in the center of the
sanctuary one can see caves that may have been part of the Byzantine
shrine. These walls are engraved with crosses left by fifth-century
Christians. On an even lower level there is a succession of caves from
the Second Temple period. Since tradition places the palace of Caiaphas
on this site, many believe that Jesus may have been imprisoned in one of
these underground crypts after his arrest, however, these underground
caves were normal in many Roman-era homes, and often served as cellars,
water cisterns, and baths. On the north side of the church is an ancient
staircase that leads down towards the Kidron Valley. This may have been
a passage from the upper city to the lower city during the first temple
period. Many Christians believe that Jesus followed this path down to
Gethsemane the night of his arrest.
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