From January 8 to 11, on the occasion of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, a small group of consecrated women of the Ordo Virginum from Jerusalem undertook a pilgrimage to Jordan. This initiative stemmed from a desire to visit this part of the Diocese of the Latin Patriarchate and to encounter the consecrated women of Jordan, where the Ordo Virginum was first established in the diocese in 1994.

Throughout these days, the pilgrims experienced the warm hospitality of the Jordanian community, the vitality of the local Church, and the richness of the country’s historical and cultural heritage. They were welcomed in Madaba by the consecrated woman Elin Twal, who accompanied them during the entire pilgrimage and played a key role in coordinating the program and facilitating the various meetings.

The pilgrimage program included, above all, the solemn and vibrant celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord at the Sanctuary of Al-Maghtas. In addition, the group visited Amman, where the consecrated women met with the Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan, Monsignor Iyad Twal. The itinerary also included visits to Madaba, renowned for its churches and ancient mosaics, and to Mount Nebo, the biblical memorial of the place from which God showed Moses the Promised Land.

One of the most meaningful moments of the pilgrimage was the meeting with Monsignor Saim Sayigh at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peace, together with other consecrated women from Jordan. Monsignor Sayigh was instrumental in discerning and opening the path of the Ordo Virginum in the Church of Jerusalem in the 1980s and accompanied the first consecrated women in 1994. Since then, he has continued to encourage and support this charism in the local Church and remains the spiritual father of the consecrated women in Jordan. The encounter provided an opportunity to share concerns and challenges, receive spiritual guidance, his blessing for the journey, and several of his written works.

The Ordo Virginum is among the most ancient forms of consecrated life in the Church, with roots in apostolic times, and was rediscovered following the Second Vatican Council. It is a vocation lived in the world: women, without belonging to a religious institute, share in the joys and challenges of everyday life while consecrating themselves in a particular way to Christ through a life of chastity and service to the local Church. The Ordo Virginum has been present in Jerusalem since 2010 and currently includes eight consecrated women of various nationalities. In Jordan, since 1994, nine women have been consecrated, and two others are presently preparing for consecration.