With the Catholic Church marking the Feast of Saint Elijah on July 20,  2024, Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan Bishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso celebrated solemn Mass at his birthplace. The Holy Mass was concelebrated by parish priest of Al Wahadneh Fr. Salam Haddad, Fr. Rif'at Bader, and Fr. Manuel Bader.

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At the outset of the solemn Mass, Fr. Haddad welcomed the Apostolic Nuncio and the attendees, who came from various parts of the Kingdom, and lauded the efforts exerted by the Ministry of Tourism as well as various institutions in the various pilgrimage sites in the Holy Land of Jordan.

In his homily, Apostolic Nuncio Bishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso conveyed well-wishes of His Holiness Pope Francis and  to the participants in the celebration. He also and talked about the life of Prophet Elijah who conveyed the message of God to His people. Prophet Elijah, who was born in the Holy Land of Jordan, miraculously left Earth on a chariot of fire in the Jordan Valley. The Apostolic Nuncio invited the faithful to listen to the voice of God as Elijah did and followed the Lord. He concluded his homily by inviting the faithful to pray so as to have the spirit of Elijah and to fervently be in love and in the service of others.

From the birth site of Prophet Elijah, the faithful lifted up their supplications for His Holiness the Pope and the clergy, as well as for His Majesty King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Al-Hussein, so that the Lord would continue to bless them and maintain peace in the Holy Land of Jordan. Prayers were also said for peace in the Gaza Strip and the Holy Land.

 Prior to the conclusion of the solemn Mass, Fr. Rif'at Bader thanked Fr. Salam Haddad for organizing the celebration marking the Feast of Saint Elijah. He also paid tribute to the Ministry of Tourism, the Jordan Tourism Board, and Ajloun Governorate for their tireless efforts in supporting religious tourism. He also extended sincere gratitude to the security apparatuses that preserve the security of the homeland, as well as to the tour guides who accompanied the pilgrims.

Fr. Rif'at Bader also welcomed Knight of the Holy Sepulcher Mr. Majdi Bader and his wife Mrs. Linda Bader, who came with their family from United States.