His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, begins his pastoral visit on Friday, 16 January 2026, to the Parish of Saint John de La Salle in Jabal Al-Hussein, Amman, which will continue until Sunday, 18 January. During the visit, His Beatitude meets with parishioners, priests, and consecrated religious, reviews the pastoral and spiritual life of the community, and visits several ecclesial and civil institutions. He will also preside over the Mass for the installation of the new Parish Council and the celebration of the renewal of marriage vows, a sign reflecting the closeness of the shepherd to his people, in the spirit of Christ.

In this context, we highlight the history of the Latin Parish in Jabal Al-Hussein and the significance of its presence today in serving the faithful and the wider community.

From Modest Beginnings to One of Amman’s Largest Churches

The Parish of Jabal Al-Hussein, located in the capital city of Amman, is the fourth oldest Latin parish in Jordan. The foundation stone of its church was laid on 4 October 1964. The parish is closely linked to the De La Salle (Frères) College, founded in 1950 in the aftermath of the 1948 Nakba, in response to the educational needs of Palestinian families who had sought refuge in Jordan. With the approval of Patriarch Alberto Gori, and following a request by Fr. Nehmeh Simaan, the Patriarchal Vicar in Jordan at the time, the school was officially opened on 16 August 1950 in Jabal Amman, before relocating to its current site in Jabal Al-Hussein in 1952.

By 1958, the number of students had reached 1,000, including 523 Christians, 450 Muslims, and 27 Druze and Baha’is—an early and tangible sign of the school’s inclusive mission and its service to the wider Jordanian society.

Inspired by the vision of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the church was conceived as an integral part of the educational mission. Liturgical life initially began in a simple side building, before the construction of the current church, which has served Christian families in the area since 1967. Over time, it has become the second largest church in Amman, a vibrant pastoral center and a deeply rooted ecclesial presence in the heart of the neighborhood.

A Living Pastoral Presence in a Diverse Ecclesial Environment

Today, the Jabal Al-Hussein area hosts several active Christian institutions and religious communities, including the Pontifical Mission, the De La Salle Brothers and College, the Jesuit Center, the Comboni Sisters, and the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. The district is home to approximately 130,000 residents, while the parish serves around 110 families who actively participate in parish life through the Parish Council, Marian confraternities, youth groups, the Sacred Heart Committee for the poor, the choir, and altar servers. The parish is currently entrusted to Fr. Ibrahim Naffa’, appointed parish priest in 2021.

Reflecting on the broader mission of the Church in Jordan, His Beatitude Cardinal Pizzaballa emphasized in an exclusive recent interview with Vatican News that:

“Jordan constitutes a large part of the Latin Patriarchate, which oversees 30 schools spread throughout the Muslim-majority country, including in remote areas. This is constitutive of our identity, in a way, because it is important to give Christian formation to our children, but also to create important relations with the broad Muslim community.”

This vision continues to shape the pastoral, educational, and human mission of the Latin Church in Jordan, embodied in parishes such as Jabal Al-Hussein, where faith, education, and coexistence meet in daily life.