On Sunday, October 9, 2022,  a musical concert, organized by the Tourism Promotion Authority, was held at the village of Mukawir,  Madaba Governorate.

The event, held  under the patronage of Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Nayef Al-Fayez, tells the story of the Fortress of Machaerus where the beheading of John the Baptist. The theatrical work was composed and written by Fr. Joseph Soueid, the patriarchal vicar of the Maronite Church in Jordan.

Mr. Fayez said: "Today we meet in Mukawir, one of the Christian pilgrimage sites, which tells the story of John the Baptist to celebrate an ancient history and an ancient civilization. He also thanked those in charge of this cultural event.

For his part, Father Soueid explained that this activity is an ambitious act that enjoyed the support of  the Jordan Tourism Borad as this is an unprecedented cultural event that sheds light on this distinguished religious site in Jordan, namely Mukawir. He pointed out that this musical show, which tells the story of the beheading of John the Baptist, will attract millions of people to visit the region.

Spokesperson of the event Ms. Rula Sama'in said, "Today, we celebrate Mukawar, a precious jewel of Madaba, in the context of the celebrations of Madaba being marked as the capital of Arab tourism for 2022, and in the context of a continuous effort to turn Jordan into a tourist destination and a place where peace, tolerance and love prevail.

This cultural event was held within the framework of activities carried out by the Jordan Tourism Board and the Ministry of Tourism marking the announcement that Madaba is the capital of Arab tourism for 2022. This aims to highlight Madaba as a city renowned for its archaeological sites as it has two sites of Christian religious pilgrimage, namely Mount Nebo and Mukawar.

It is worthy to note that Mukawir, also known as Machaerus, is a fortified palace that overlooks the iconic Dead Sea. It is located right on the top of a hill just two kilometers from the village of Mukawir. The hill towers 1,100 meters above the Dead Sea and the castle can be viewed from afar.

When translated, Mukawir is commonly known as the ‘Castle of the Gallows’ due to the fact that John the Baptist was beheaded here. Over the years this site has played a significant role in Greek, Roman and Jewish history and it is particularly notable for being where Salome, the daughter of Herod II and his wife Herodias, sealed the fate of John the Baptist. The story is that Salome’s dance skills in the castle mesmerized John the Baptist so much so that he granted anything she desired. Salome then requested his head to be served on a platter, hence his beheading at the castle. Mukawir is also also the place where Lord  Jesus Christ was taken to Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, for questioning.