On Friday, January 9, 2026, the Catholic churches in the Kingdom commemorated the 26th annual pilgrimage to the Baptism Site of Lord Jesus Christ with a solemn Mass celebrated by Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan Bishop Iyad Twal at the Church of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the presence of thousands of pilgrims from various parts of the Kingdom. 

In attendance were Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso, Patriarchal Administrator of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church, Archimandrite Paul Nazha, in addition to heads of the Maronite, Chaldean, Syriac, and Armenian Catholic churches in the Kingdom, a delegation from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, a  Vatican media delegation, official figures, ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Kingdom, as well as a number of dignitaries, members of parliament, priests, nuns, and a large congregation of the faithful.

Prior to the Holy Mass, the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) held a press conference during which CCSM Director Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader welcomed local and international media outlets, in addition to the delegations of bishops and journalists from the Philippines, Italy, and the Vatican. Fr. Bader stressed the importance of this annual gathering which highlights the spiritual and national significance of the Catholic pilgrimage day and provides the media with an opportunity to convey the event to a wide audience of believers worldwide.

Fr. Bader highly valued the historic visit undertaken by His Majesty King Abdullah II to the Vatican last year, during which he met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and extended an invitation to him to visit the Baptism Site. He also accentuated the role played through the participation of church leaders and international delegations in consolidating spiritual and cultural ties among believers and supporting religious tourism in Jordan. He also referred to the significant role of Jordanian authorities in organizing and coordinating this annual event. Furthermore, he commended the efforts of the Baptism Site Commission chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi Ibn Muhammad, along with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Jordan Tourism Board, the Jordan Television, various church committees, security agencies, the Armed Forces, the Public Security Department, and Civil Defence Department.

During the conference, Bishop Iyad Twal extended an invitation on behalf of the Catholic Church to pilgrims from various parts of the world, saying, "Come to the Holy Land, come to the Jordan River, visit this holy place, visit this church, and be blessed by the waters of the Jordan River."

Bishop Twal pointed out that his year's pilgrimage takes place after the elapse of one year marking the dedication of the Church of the Baptism of Lord Jesus, while constituting an opportunity to enhance the spiritual ties among believers. He also drew attention to the restoration of atmospheres of calm in Palestine and Gaza, which His Beatitude Cardinal Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited a few days ago where he felt a genuine determination for the start of a new life and an optimism that this year will witness a durable, genuine, just, and comprehensive peace

Concluding his address, the bishop invoked divine blessing for His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al-Hussein Ibn Abdullah II, the Hashemite family, and the extended Jordanian family, wishing them a new year filled with peace, goodness, and grace. He also commend the assiduous efforts exerted by the Royal Commission of the Baptism Site and its chairman of the Board of Trustees His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi Ibn Muhammad, the Baptism Site Administration, the Ministry of Tourism, the Jordan Tourism Board, and all those in charge of religious tourism in Jordan.

For his part, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Dr. Emad Hijazeen expressed appreciation to the Catholic Church for its continued organization of the Catholic Pilgrimage Day, considering this annual event as constituting an important platform for conveying Jordan's message to the world in its capacity as a major destination for religious tourism, not merely a supplementary stop. He continued that the Baptism Site of Lord Jesus Christ is one of the most important Christian pilgrimage sites globally, given that Christianity began in this land and on the banks of the Jordan River.

He commended the prevailing cooperation between the Baptism Site Administration, the Royal Commission for the Baptism Site, and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, noting the work is under way on new plans aimed at improving the experience of visitors and pilgrims which contributes to enhancing its global presence, in parallel with the ongoing cooperation with the Catholic, Orthodox, and Evangelical churches. He also referred to the various Islamic religious and heritage sites in Jordan, considering this uniqueness as a universal human value. He also underlined the fact that Jordan's stability and the care extended by the Hashemite leadership have played a prominent role in preserving these sites and presenting them to the world as a heritage that serves the entire humanity.

For his part, Mr. Andrea Tornielli, Editorial Director of the Vatican Dicastery for Communications, highlighted the importance of Jordan as a holy land that witnessed pivotal events in the Holy Bible. He also stressed the importance of inviting pilgrims to visit the holy sites in preparation for the Great Jubilee in 2033, before referring to the 2030 Jubilee of the Baptism of Christ in its capacity as an opportunity to discover the history and spirituality of Jordan.

Following the press conference, Bishop Twal, accompanied by the Minister of Tourism and the heads of the Catholic churches in the Kingdom, drew holy water from the Jordan River to bless the faithful. Then, the celebratory procession, led by scouts and candle bearers, proceeded to the Church of the Baptism of Christ, where he celebrated the solemn Mass for this year's Catholic pilgrimage.

Patriarchal Administrator of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church Archimandrite Paul Nazha delivered an address during which he affirmed that this holy site--where heaven and earth met and where the Jordan River witnessed the public ministry of Lord Jesus Christ--conveys a universal message of love, peace, and hope. He called for the dissemination of these values throughout the entire world. He also pleaded with God to touch the hearts of leaders and peoples, so as to transform the logic of violence into a culture of dialogue, and the logic of war into a path of justice and reconciliation.

 During the Holy Mass, Bishop Twal blessed the attendees with water from the Jordan River and delivered a sermon during which he emphasized that baptism is not merely a routine rite, but rather the beginning of a personal journey of faith, that brings about a profound spiritual experience manifested in internal joy and sincere repentance. He also called upon those present to maintain an unwavering commitment to spiritual values, and warned against being contented with mere outward appearances without genuine engagement in them.

Later, prayers were offered for the continued security and stability of Jordan under the wise Hashemite leadership, for the consolidation of national unity, and for peace and justice to prevail in Jerusalem, Gaza, and all parts of Palestine, as well as in the countries of the region and the entire world that is athirst for peace and justice.

The Holy Mass concluded with an address by Secretary of the Latin Vicariate Fr. Imad Alamat, who thanked all the governmental, security, and ecclesiastical departments that contributed to the success of the 2026 Catholic Pilgrimage Day. He also expressed hope that this year would witness a large turnout of pilgrims from around the world to the Holy Land of Jordan.