At the invitation of the Association of Christians of the East in Jordan and in cooperation with the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM), Archimandrite Dr. Agapius Abu Saada, a researcher in Eastern and Arab Christian studies, gave a lecture on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, titled: "An Eastern Christian Reading of Enrooting in the Land", at Karam Imseeh Hall which is affiliated with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church of Tla’ Al ‘Ali, Western Amman.

At the outset of the meeting, Dr. Adli Qandah, who represents the Association of Eastern Christians, welcomed the attendees and underlined in the importance of this meeting which urges Christians of the East to remain in their land despite all the challenges that they encounter. He recalled that in the Book of Acts, the Arabs were among those present on the day of the Pentecost, and were the first to embrace Christianity. He noted that the Holy Land is a land that includes Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, and every region where Lord Jesus Christ lived.

Then, Ms. Lina Musharbash, president of the Association of Eastern Christians in Jordan, presented a historical review of the association which was founded in 2013 by the late Kamel Abu Jaber, former Jordanian minister of foreign affairs. Among the attendees at the meeting was Mrs. Suzan Abu Jaber.

Director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) Fr. Dr. Rif’at Bader delivered an address in which he praised the cooperation between the CCSM and the Association of Eastern Christians. Then he thanked Fr. Agapius--on behalf of the priests, nuns, and the attendees--for his specialization in the history of Eastern Arab Christianity, and for his book that he previously presented in Amman about the Holy See and its honorable positions on Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause in general. Fr. Bader also expressed his wishes that Christmas would come while joyfully singing the hymn that the angels sang with the shepherds of Beit Sahour, the town from which the guest lecturer comes: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace.”

Then, Fr. Agapius spoke about the bright and honorable history of Christianity in the Holy Land, and in the East in general. His address included two parts. The first one is  historical in which he presented the basic dates of the presence, not just the demographic presence, of Christians in the East. He said that the roots of Christians here go back to ancient times, and even if we are talking about the history of Christianity in general, we are talking about the history of Christians in this region in a balanced manner.

The second part of the presentation was spiritual, in which he expressed his wishes that the migration of Christians would not continue, and that the Christians would remain enrooted in this land. He expressed the need for prayers so that Christians would be united in their decisions and positions because Lord Christ wanted all his disciples to adhere to unity. Referring to the first ecumenical councils, he said that Christians were united, but unfortunately politics had begun to divide them, separate them, and influence their decisions which were supposed to be independent of any political authority.

At the end, Fr. Agapius--who currently works at the Greek Catholic Melkite Diocese of  the Galilee--said that Christians always transcend difficult political situations and the complexities of economic situations with strength, and courage, as well as with a creative and innovative spirit. He stressed that Christians of the East have always been creative while providing their countrymen and homelands the needed support and encouragement to promote intellectual and cultural trends,  while not focusing at the time on numbers, but rather on the quality of Christians who believe in Lord Jesus Christ and contribute to serving their communities.

At the end of the meeting, Dr. Adli Qandah moderated the ensuing discussions, while Ms. Lina Musharbash presented Fr. Agapius with a memorial shield.