Catholic chapel of Simon of Cyrene, belonging to the Franciscan Order celebrates the fifth station of the Cross of Jesus. Here, the pilgrims recall the new Testament episode: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross.

The little chapel built in 1229, was the first building erected by the Franciscans in Jerusalem. The interior is simple and even severe: stone arches, a small altar. Catches the eye relief on the wall depicting Jesus and man, taking on His shoulders the cross.

Three evangelists, Matthew, mark and Luke say that it was the Roman soldiers forced a passerby to carry Jesus cross. Luke even says that Simon, peacefully marching from the field, "seized" and "has laid on him the cross." The soldiers did so not out of pity for the condemned, they just saw Jesus completely exhausted. Beaten with whips with metal inserts, exhausted, bloodied, He'd already fallen. He managed to climb, but the top has continued to push the huge arms of the cross – its a rough rough surface wounded torn flesh. And still had to climb to Calvary. Experienced soldiers quickly assessed His condition and realized that without help, the procession will not soon get to the place of execution.

Who was Simon, a native of Cyrene? No exact answer. Perhaps the Jew, sochuvstvovaly the teachings of Christ, and as a foreigner is unlikely to be an ordinary Jew would agree to carry the cross. On the other hand, the soldiers did not ask the consent and choice of Simon in any case was not. One thing is clear: the minute he meant to or not, Simon has been the closest to God. Among the street noise, dirt, shouts of soldiers and ridicule of the crowd he took from the shoulders of the suffering of God a heavy load and took on.

The legend says that in this place spotknuvshihsya Jesus leaned on the wall of a house, not to fall. Stone with a hole, embedded in the wall of the Franciscan chapel, as if polished pilgrims touched him for centuries. And now the tourist can see a passing of the chapel the priest familiar gesture touches the stone and is baptized. Of course, evidence that this trail is true, no. But the people, touching the stone, mentally touching God.