Jaffa

In ancient times the city of Jaffa owed its importance to its being a natural harbour, albeit a small one with dangerous rocks off-shore. The cedars of Lebanon used in the building of the Temple both at the time of Solomon (2Chr 2:15) and of Zerubbabel (Esd 3:7) were brought to shore here. It was from Jaffa that the prophet Jonah set sail for Tarshish (Jon 1:3) and was then thrown up again on the shore by the whale (Jon 2:11) at the spot known in local tradition as Tel Jonah. The Acts of the Apostles refers to a close-knit community here of Jewish believers in Jesus. They were comforted by the visit of St Peter the Apostle, who came and raised from the dead a lady by the name of Tabitha. Here in Jaffa, on the rooftop of Simon the Tanner, St Peter had the vision of the sheet let down from heaven containing all sorts of creatures, both pure and impure, after which he set out for Caesarea to receive into the Church the roman centurion, Cornelius, together with all his household, the first from among the pagans to convert to Christianity (Acts 10).
The church dedicated to St Peter commemorates these events. It was built by the Spanish between the years 1888 and 1894 on the place where the fortress of St Louis IX, King of France had stood at the time of the 6th Crusade (c. 1251). He it was who brought the Franciscan friars to the city, and his statue now stands inside the friary cloister. Beginning in 1650 the friars had a guesthouse in Jaffa to welcome the increasing number of pilgrims arriving through the port. In the church itself there are beautiful stained-glass windows, the work of F. X. Zettler of Munich, a remarkable wooden pulpit carved in the form of a fruiting tree and the painting above the high altar by the Catalan artist, Talarn, representing St Peter’s vision.

1. St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church. 
2. Greek Orthodox Church of St Michel. 
3. House of Simon the Tanner. 
4. Andromeda’s Rock. 
5. Armenian Church. 
6. Archaeological Museum. 
7. Mosque. 
8. Clocktower. 
9. French Hospital. 
10. Greek Orthodox Church of St George. 
11. Melkite Church of St George. 
12. St Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church. 
13. Coptic Church. 
14. Maronite Church.

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. As Peter travelled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, who was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning towards the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

Acts 9,31

O God, through the Apostle Peter, taught by Your divine revelation, You willed to join the first Gentiles to Your Church. Through his intercession may we, who go forward with fidelity on the way of Your commandments, find grace at the throne of Your divine majesty. Amen
1. For the Church, that her pastors and all the faithful may feel the urgency of the missionary call of Jesus, and be led by the Holy Spirit into the new evangelisation: Let us pray to the Lord! Response: Lord, hear our prayer
2. For the entire human family, that in every people and nation the Holy Spirit may prepare the hearts of the men and women of our time for the obedience of faith in Christ: Let us pray to the Lord!
3. For those who do not know Christ but who seek God with a sincere heart, that they may soon be reached by the joyful news of peace through Jesus Christ, Who is Lord of all: Let us pray to the Lord!
4. For those whose lives are touched by the mystery of suffering, that they may experience the saving power of Jesus, Who passed by blessing and healing all who were under the power of the devil: Let us pray to the Lord!
5. For ourselves and our families, that our pilgrimage in the Holy Land may obtain for us the grace to rediscover our Christian vocation and to live it to the full: Let us pray to the Lord!
O Father, You sent Christ, the True Light, into the world. Through the intercession of the Apostle Peter, pour out the Holy Spirit to spread the seed of truth in the hearts of men and dispose them to the obedience of faith, so that all Your children, reborn in Baptism, may form the one people of the New Covenant. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

St. Peter’s Church
P.O.B. 8467 
61083 Jaffa 
ISRAEL

Tel: +972. 3 682.28.71 
Fax: +972. 3 518.16.13

Visiting Hours of St Peter's church
8.00 am - 11.45 am
3.00 pm - 5.00 pm