Experiencing the Land of the Bible – Tour Stop #5

Experiencing the Land of the Bible is a series of posts about places in the Holy Land that I visited on my trip in 2023. If you travel to Israel with me, many (if not all) of these are places we’ll visit as well. Each week’s post highlights the biblical and historical significance of the site, any interesting modern facts that add value, some pictures and maybe some videos I took in those locations as well. And if there’s a faith lesson to be learned, I’ll make sure to point that out as well.

Israel is a beautiful place that will not only inspire you, but totally transform your faith. You’ll never see the Bible the same way again… it will come alive in a way you never expected. If you’re interested in visiting the Holy Land, we have a trip scheduled for March 12-20, 2026. Space is going fast, but you can still get more information and reserve a spot now!

Where Are We?

We’ve come to one of the most chilling places in Jerusalem: the remains of the high priest Caiaphas’ house. From the outside, it’s unassuming: stone steps, ancient walls, quiet courtyards.

But beneath it lies something unforgettable.

A pit.

A dark, hollow chamber carved into the rock. Historians call it the Sacred Pit. It’s where prisoners of the high priest were held prisoner, lowered through an opening in the ceiling, left alone in the darkness.

Most scholars believe this is where Jesus spent the night after His arrest in Gethsemane.

Here, before the whips, before the cross, He waited. Alone.

Stand in that pit, and the silence is deafening. This is where the Son of God sat in darkness for you.

Biblical Significance: Betrayal, Denial, and Silence

The Gospels tell us that after Jesus was arrested, He was taken to the house of the high priest (Luke 22:54). Here He faced a sham trial with false witnesses, unjust accusations, mocking guards.

While Jesus was inside, Peter was outside warming himself by a fire. And in that courtyard, Peter denied Him three times (Luke 22:55-62). The rooster crowed. Their eyes met. And Peter wept bitterly.

Meanwhile, Jesus, bound and beaten, was lowered into the pit below.

Imagine the weight of that night. Judas had betrayed Him. Peter had denied Him. The disciples had scattered and deserted Him. The corrupt religious leaders unjustly plotted His death.

And in the stillness of the pit, Jesus waited for what He already knew was inevitable. He waited to die.

This feels like holy ground. A place that forces you to wrestle with the injustice, the loneliness, and the cost of our redemption.

Archaeological Insight: The Sacred Pit

Excavations at this site (known today as St. Peter in Gallicantu) reveal a first-century mansion, complete with ritual baths, courtyards, and underground holding cells typical of priestly homes. The pit itself was accessed only through a narrow shaft in the ceiling. That means prisoners would have been lowered by rope and makeshift harness into this carved-out hole in the ground under the house and left in total darkness.

Chisel marks are still visible on the walls. You can stand there and look up at the small opening where light trickled in. Many pilgrims pray Psalm 88 here:

“You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths…
I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief.” (Psalm 88:6, 8-9)

It’s haunting and unforgettable.

Aha Moment: When the Silence Feels Endless

The Sacred Pit confronts us with a truth we often try to avoid: following Jesus isn’t always mountaintops and miracles. Sometimes it’s waiting in the dark.

Jesus knows what it feels like to be abandoned. To sit in silence. To wonder when the night will end.

So if you’ve ever felt forgotten by God, remember:
Jesus has been there.
He meets us in the pit. He sits with us in the silence. And He leads us out into resurrection light.

Reflection Prompt

Where do you feel like you’re sitting in the dark right now?
What pit are you waiting in, wondering if God has forgotten you?

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for entering the silence.
Thank You for waiting in the darkness for me.
Help me trust You in my own pits.
Help me hold onto faith that resurrection is coming.

Visiting Today

The church of St. Peter in Gallicantu sits over the ruins of Caiaphas’ house. Visitors can walk the ancient stone steps Jesus likely descended after His arrest, stand in the excavated courtyards, and descend into the Sacred Pit itself. It’s quiet, heavy, unforgettable, and one of the most sobering sites in Jerusalem.