Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin concluded his visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on Tuesday January 14, in his capacity as the legate of His Holiness Pope Francis, during which he presided at a Holy Mass to inaugurate the Church of the Baptism of Jesus Christ, affiliated with the Latin Patriarchate, which coincides with the Silver Jubilee of the national pilgrimage of  the Catholic Churches to the Baptism Site.

He met with His Majesty King Abdullah II  at Al Husseiniya Palace in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi Ibn Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs. The discussion focused on the strong relations between Jordan and the Holy See, as well as underlined the need to stop the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, and to enhance humanitarian aid. His Majesty the King valued the position of His Holiness the Pope in support of ending the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip and warned against the danger of continued Israeli attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Dr. Ja’far Hassan also received Cardinal Parolin at the Prime Ministry, where they discussed the distinguished relations between Jordan and the Holy See in addition to means to enhance them. They also dealt with the current situation in the region, the importance of achieving peace and stability, and the need to stop the Israeli war on Gaza. Furthermore, they also discussed, in the presence of Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Lina Annab, the preparations for holding the Jordanian exhibition in the Vatican City, which will continue throughout February 2024, under the motto, "Jordan: The Dawn of Christianity."

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan has issued  a briefing of the activities and visits conducted by the Holy See’s chief diplomat, which included a number of events for various pastoral, church, humanitarian, tourism and community sectors, during which he conveyed the greetings of His Holiness Pope Francis, praised the distinguished Jordanian model of common living and Jordan's continuous support, led by His Majesty the King, for the Christian presence in the Kingdom, while stressing that Jordan plays a prominent role in this region.

The CCSM stated that the first day marked the major event of the inauguration of the Baptism Church, in the presence of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein’s representative His Highness Prince Ghazi Ibn Muhammad, Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, hundreds of bishops, priests, nuns, and more than 6,000 pilgrims from all over Jordan, as well as sisterly and friendly countries. The inauguration was also attended by  Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ms. Lina Annab, a number of members of  Parliament, Hungary’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs  Mr. Tritsan Azbej, as his country contributed funding to the church, in addition to the main donor, former Senator Nadim Mu’asher and his family.

According to the CCSM, Cardinal Parolin met with representatives of the Catholic churches in the Kingdom, which includes employees in churches, schools, universities, hospitals, and charity associations, in the presence of Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. On the other hand, Cardinal Parolin expressed his gratitude for the great services provided by the schools and hospitals, whether to Christians in the Kingdom or to the Jordanian society as a whole, and his gratitude for the contribution made by the Jordanian clergy to serve the Catholic Church in the world.

During the meeting, an open dialogue took place with the bishops, priests, deacons, and nuns focusing on inter-faith dialogue, strengthening the convergence between Muslims and Christians in Jordan and the world, the firm position of the Holy See for the attainment of peace, the possibility of unifying the celebrations marking the Feast of the Resurrection (Easter), and how the Holy See can support religious tourism to Jordan. He also met with representatives of the sisterly including the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Evangelical Episcopal and Lutheran Churches.

Marking the Holy See's great interest and continuous support for humanitarian projects, Cardinal Parolin visited Caritas Jordan where he was  welcomed by Caritas Jordan Director Wael Suleiman and Regional Coordinator of MONA Region Karam Abi Yazbek.  During the visit a review was made of the efforts conducted by the Catholic charity to provide support to various needy categories including refugees in the Kingdom, and the humanitarian aid recently provided by the Catholic Relief Services to the Gaza Strip, in the presence of its President Elias Koraytem, in cooperation with Caritas Jordan and the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization.

The tour of the senior Holy See official in the Kingdom included a visit to some religious sites in the city of Madaba, where he visited the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, and the Latin Church and Shrine of the Beheading of John the Baptist, where he was received by parish priest Fr. Tariq Abu Hanna. He also visited the Grotto of Prophet Moses on Mount Nebo, where he met with the Custodian of the Holy Land Fr. Francesco Patton.

He also visited the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in the city of Salt,  which is the first church built by the Latin Patriarchate in Jordan, toured the Salt Historical Museum (Beit Abu Jaber), where he was acquainted  with the city’s history, culture, folklore, and daily life. The meeting in Salt was attended by Governor of Balqa Salman Al-Najada, Mayor of Salt Mohammad Al-Hayari, and parish  priest of Salt Fr. Tariq Hijazin.

The CCSM added that Cardinal Parolin chaired a meeting at the Rosary Sisters’ Visitation House, with the 14 apostolic nuncios  accredited to the Middle East, including the Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan Bishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso. During the meeting,  “the ongoing crises in the region, the political and ecclesial situation in each country, signs of hope in some areas, and the severe humanitarian conditions affecting populations most impacted by conflicts were discussed.”

In their final statement, the Holy See diplomats expressed their hope, for “a ceasefire soon on all fronts, and for the Middle East to become a land of peace, where Christians remain an essential element for fraternal coexistence between religions and for the progress of their countries.”

In a press interview with the en.abouna.org website, conducted by CCSM Director Fr. Dr. Rif’at Bader, before his departure at Queen Alia International Airport, Cardinal Pizzaballa expressed his happiness for what he referred to as the “great experience” he lived over the past few days in Jordan, which included celebrations, meetings, and encounters. He praised the meeting he had  with His Majesty King Abdullah II, and Prime Minister Ja’far Hassan, and expressed his thanks to Jordan, its King, government and people, for the warm reception, hospitality, and welcome accorded to him.

He also thanked the media that covered the inauguration of the Baptism Church and  encouraged them to be a source of education, in addition to being a source of information, as well as an encouragement to religious tourism to “the Holy Jordan” as he referred to it.

Cardinal Parolin pointed out that the inauguration of the Baptism Church of Jesus Christ at the Baptism Site is a historic event for the Church, in its capacity as it is built on a land that witnessed an important moment in the history of Lord Jesus Christ. It is also an important message that shows Jordan's important role in this region, and highlights it as a safe and stable country in the region, where all its components live in peace and harmony, and its officials strive to promote the values ​​of understanding and respect among all citizens.