Coinciding with the Feast of Saint Thomas on June 3,2022, His Beatitude Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans in Iraq, laid the foundation stone of St. Thomas to become the first Chaldean Church in Jordan.

In attendance were priests from various Churches and a number of ambassadors to Jordan among whom was Ambassador of Iraq Haider Al-Adhari, Chargé d'Affaires at the Apostolic Nunciature in Jordan Monsignor Mauro Lalli, as well as a number of officials representing charity organizations and television networks.

In his address marking the event, Patriarch Sako said: “Laying the foundation stone for the construction of the first Chaldean Church in Amman is a sign of hope for the Chaldean Catholic Christians in Jordan as it provides evidence of the religious, social and cultural diversity that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan incorporates under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, the government, and the fraternal people of Jordan.

He pointed out that the church is the house of God, namely a place of worship in which believers prostrate to God, honor Him, as well as seek His mercy and goodness in light of their weakness and sins. The houses of worship are places for conducting liturgy during which we praise God, enjoy His unique mercy, as well as weave close ties with brethren with commitment to stand by them."

Cardinal Sako also pointed out that “the houses of God are places to educate people in faith and spiritually, to teach them sublime morals of tolerance, love, respect and solidarity, rather than wrong and malevolent ideas especially hatred." He added in this regard that ''the role of the houses of worship is designed to promote interfaith dialogue and to consolidate common living especially at a time when religious and sectarian extremism is on the rise in our world." He also lauded "the harmonious common living that persists in Jordan.''

Conveying well wishes to His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein and the fraternal Jordanian people marking Jordan's first centenary, which coincides with Iraq's marking its centenary as well, Cardinal Sako said, "the events that took place in the past should become lessons for living in the present. The blessing of peace and security should not be wasted by Jordanians. It is regrettable that this blessing is what many countries in the region lack as they  are plagued by chaos of dissensions, conflicts and corruption."

Patriarch Sako paid tribute to Jordan for "receiving Iraqi immigrants, as well as the Syrians who arrived in Jordan in its capacity as a safe tent." He also thanked the Apostolic Nunciature, Caritas Jordan, the Pontifical Mission, the Middle East Council of Churches, and the various organizations that supported the immigrants and offered them assistance with outstretched hands and generous hearts. He also thanked pastor of the Chaldean Church in Jordan Fr. Zaid Habbaba, and Mr. Louay Suleiman Hanna for donating the land, and Ms. Amn Hanoudi and Dr. Raed Hanna for their contribution to cover the design and engineering office expenses.

 Patriarch Sako also called on the Jordanian government to recognize the Chaldean Church as one of the official churches, stressing that King Abdullah II is the faithful guardian of mosques and churches in noble Jerusalem, where the Chaldean Church has a church and a headquarter, as there is a street bearing the name of the Chaldeans in the city. He concluded saying that "the Chaldeans are not strangers to the Jerusalemite community."