Cathedral of St. James, the jewel of the Jerusalem Patriarchate of the Armenian Apostolic Church is located just outside the main entrance to the Armenian quarter. The temple, considered one of the most magnificent in the middle East, the tourist can only visit during the service, and even then not always. But those who are lucky will remain impressed by the unusual beauty of the Cathedral.

Strictly speaking, the temple is dedicated not one to St. James, and two "older" and "younger". Senior call of the Apostle James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John the Evangelist. Both brothers were nicknamed "sons of thunder" (apparently because of a hot temper), from the first disciples of Christ. James was present at the Transfiguration of Jesus, along with Peter and John; the first of the twelve apostles were martyred for the faith – he was beheaded with a sword by king Herod Agrippa I. and Jacob Jr., "brother of the Lord" (probably a cousin of Jesus), was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, whom the Jews stoned.

Armenian tradition holds that the Apostle James was beheaded on the spot where now stands the Cathedral, and that his head is buried under the North wall of the temple, and the body of a younger James – under the altar.

The Cathedral area of 350 square meters and a height of 18 meters built in the XII century, and is decorated mainly in the XVIII century. Attracts attention for the outer court – its walls are decorated with traditional Armenian art, khachkars (carved stone crosses). The oldest of them dates back to XII century.

In the courtyard behind the openwork lattice – paintings depicting the last judgment, two saints Jacobs and saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew, the patron of the Armenian Apostolic Church. On the sides of the main entrance of the altars in the wall. They were used, when Saladin, and then the Turks captured Jerusalem (the temple in those days was closed). Near the entrance hangs a long wooden Board. It struck a Gong, on which the deacons were beaten with wooden hammers, calling the flock, when the Muslims forbade the ringing of the bell. The tradition is supported so far.

The interior of the Cathedral is striking. From the height of the vaulted dome of the chain hangs down a lot of oil lamps and ceramic Easter eggs. In the temple there is no electricity, only oil lamps, candles and domed Windows illuminate the space, typical of Armenian Church architecture: three naves separated by four rectangular pillars. Wonderful altars (the main carved from precious wood and covered with gold filigree), inlaid with mother-of-pearl throne of St. James the younger, blue tiles, two meters from the floor covering columns and walls.

During the Arab-Israeli war of 1948, the residents of the Armenian quarter used the Cathedral as a bomb shelter. Tell about the night fell around more than a thousand shells, but no one was hurt – the walls are three feet thick shielded reliably. However, not all and not always have time to hide. A memorial plaque at the entrance points to the resting place of the 94th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem of Gurage of Israeliana – his heart failed in 1949, too often he was holding the dead compatriots.