The Greek Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist in the Christian quarter is one of the oldest Christian churches in the Holy Land. For his simple and even austere walls hides a richly decorated interior and a long history.

A tourist strolling along the streets of the Greek market "Atimos" in the area of Nuristan and saw afar the silver dome, and may not understand how to get to the Church. From the market is its semi-circular rear portion apse. To get inside, we need to go beyond Muristan, on Christian street. There, near the street of David, among shops with clothes and Souvenirs, lies the inconspicuous door, over which hangs a modest image of the decapitated head of Saint John the Baptist. This door leads into the courtyard of the Greek Orthodox monastery of St. John the Baptist.

The first Church was built here in the V century. Even then, she was dedicated to John the Baptist – the last prophet who prepared the people of Israel to the appearance of the Messiah. Persian invaders destroyed the temple in the seventh century, but later Patriarch of Alexandria had built it from scratch.

The crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099, used the building as a hospital for wounded soldiers. The current appearance of the Church purchased with the Hospitallers – the territory of modern Muristan was born in the XII century and acted the Order of St. John of Jerusalem (or the Hospitallers, or Maltese). His knights cared for the sick in a large charity hospital, which, together with the buildings and restored the Order of the monastery and the Church was a whole block.

After the conquest of Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187, the Hospitallers, as all Christians were banished from the city. The temple was abandoned, repaired it only in the XIX century, and since then the parish to tend to its patients by the Jerusalem Patriarchate (Greek Orthodox Church).

Inconspicuous facade with a low bell tower – the legacy of the era of the crusaders, but the layout of the Byzantine Church of the V century have survived: three apses, a long porch. Guests are amazed by the beauty of the interior: luxurious green and gold iconostasis (believed to be the longest in Jerusalem) 1853, stained glass Windows and impressive painted dome supported by four columns. At the entrance exhibited a fragment of the relics of John the Baptist. Orthodox pilgrims definitely be added to this Shrine. Also stored in the temple of the particles of the Holy relics of Panagiotis, a Greek Martyr, killed by Muslims in 1820 here in Jerusalem.

In the ancient crypt stairs to descend by almost seven meters below the ground. On the wall is a small icon of Saint Eudocia, resembling that of the Byzantine Empress Eudocia was founded in the V century this Church.