On Wednesday, December 24, Prime Minister Dr. Jafar Hassan conveyed well-wishes to Christians marking Christmas and New Year celebrations during a visit he paid to the Latin Patriarchate in Amman, where he met with heads and representatives of Christian Churches.

In an address he made during the visit, the prime minister pointed out that on such occasions, "the great values ​​upon which the noble Jordanian society was founded always emerge, namely the values ​​of solidarity, brotherhood, and affiliation with this homeland, which--throughout its history--has been a leading model in the region and the world, through the strength of its national fabric, its vibrant diversity, as well as the unity and cohesion of its people."

He added: “With the sentiment of Jordan and its people turning to the land of peace, to our Christian brothers and sisters in Palestine in general, and in Gaza in particular, who are steadfast alongside their Muslim brothers and sisters in the face of suffering and injustice, we assure them that Jordan stands with them, steadfast in its positions, and in continuing its efforts to support them, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II.”

He noted that on this occasion, we join our Christian brothers and sisters in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, while sharing with them their celebrations taking place under the most difficult circumstances,  and reaffirming Jordan's unwavering and steadfast commitment to protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites in noble Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Hassan continued, "Today we share the joy of feasts, at a time when we continue to build our dearest and most precious homeland.  We are an extended family Muslims and Christians enjoying cordial relations. The blessed land of Jordan, under whose shade we find refuge and where the roots of Christianity run deep, and upon whose rocks and soil the oldest churches were built, will remain, God willing, the most outstanding model of moderation, tolerance, affiliation, and genuine citizenship. We plead with God that the New Year would be a year of goodness and blessings for our homeland, our wise Hashemite leadership, and our dear Jordanian people."

For his part, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan Bishop Iyad Twal said in an address on behalf of the representatives of Churches in Jordan that sharing Christmas celebrations embodies the reality that Jordan is the home, where its people are united by love and mutual respect. He added that this underlines the depth of the national partnership and brotherhood that we cherish under the wise Hashemite leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II and Crown Prince His Royal Highness Prince Al Hussein Ibn Abdullah II.

Bishop Twal continued, "Together, we continue to build our homeland, a land of security and prosperity, while strengthening the shared values ​​that distinguish our beloved country, where the efforts of the state are integrated with those of civil society organizations and our Churches in serving humanity, preserving its dignity, in addition to fostering good citizenship."

He also highlighted the Latin Patriarchate's contribution to the humanitarian and medical efforts extended to children from Gaza who receive treatment at the Royal Medical Services, in implementation of His Majesty the King's initiative to bring a group of children from Gaza to Jordan for treatment.

He also stressed that the Catholic Church, in line with its humanitarian and national mission, bolsters the comprehensive development led by His Majesty the King while administering  the largest non-profit educational network in the Kingdom, starting with the American University of Madaba, which is steadily progressing towards full American accreditation to become the first and most distinguished university in Jordan, and proceeding to 62 kindergartens and schools extending from the north of the Kingdom to the south where more than 20,000 students are enrolled from various shades of the society.