Chapel of Simon of Cyrene, Catholic chapel on Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem, Israel

The Chapel of Simon of Cyrene is a Franciscan chapel on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem's Old City, marking the fifth station of the route. Inside, the walls and vaulted ceiling are bare stone and the floor is laid with marble slabs. An inscription on the architrave of the main entrance reads "Simoni - Cyrenaeo / Crux Imponitur". Beside the main door a small niche is traditionally held to be where Jesus steadied himself with his hand.

Franciscan monks built this chapel in 1895 to commemorate an event from the Gospel accounts. The location was selected to honor this biblical moment and provide pilgrims with a place of reflection.

The name recalls Simon of Cyrene, compelled by Roman guards to carry Jesus' cross, an episode told in the three Synoptic Gospels but absent from John. A Latin inscription over the main entrance from the Via Dolorosa reads "Simoni - Cyrenaeo / Crux Imponitur". Beside the door, a small niche is traditionally held to mark where Jesus steadied himself with his hand.

The chapel is easy to locate as it sits at a marked station along the well-known pilgrimage route. Access is open to visitors who wish to take time for quiet reflection or a brief prayer.

Before the chapel was built, this location was known as the House of the Poor Man with roots in a different biblical story. The site thus holds multiple layers of religious tradition in one place.