My visit to the Italian capital on the first week of March was split into two parts, namely meetings in order to develop religious tourism and a meeting with the Pope in order to present to him the artistic painting of the displaced.
For the first part of the visit, I was invited by the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi, the Vatican touristic arm, to continue the discussion that started in Jordan in the wake of the visit undertaken by a delegation from this renowned institution to the Kingdom at the invitation of the Jordan Tourism Board and Royal Jordanian.
I presented to our guests, on behalf of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media, several proposals designed to develop religious tourism, particularly to the Christian religious places, as this is the major duty of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi since its inception in 1934, namely 81 years ago.
During the meetings, discussions included cooperation with all the concerned parties--namely, the Ministry of Tourism, the Jordan Tourism Board, the Baptism Site Authority and local Churches--which failed to take immediate actions in this regard except for those related to “the spur of the moment”. Today we are facing positive variables, including the Churches’ participation in preparations and their sponsoring of trips. It was also agreed to change the addresses of the annual bulletins to be reworded to read “Jordan-the Holy Land” rather than the “Holy Land-Jordan”.
Having so far received four pontiffs whose trips were categorized as “pontifical pilgrimage to the Holy Land starting from Jordan”, there remains among the most significant issues is giving the opportunity for tourist groups visiting the Kingdom to hold meetings with popular and official functionaries since it is not logical for a tourist group visiting Jordan to limit the visit to seeing deaf stones. What is important is to see “living stones’’ and conduct meetings with makers of contemporary history and of current renaissance. Discussions also dealt with the role of tourist guides, holding educational courses and seminars on regular bases since they are the bright image of our dear country.
The second part of my visit dealt with my audience with His Holiness Pope Francis where I reviewed with him his visit last year and thanked him for his continued praise for the Kingdom’s welcoming of groups of refugees and displaced people. I also presented to His Holiness a painting by one of the displaced Iraqis living in Jordan which depicts the exodus of groups of displaced Christians from Nineveh Plain and from Mosul, in particular, who were led by the Holy Family, namely Virgin Mary, her fiancé St. Joseph and baby Lord Jesus Christ.
Why did the painter, who requested that his name not be listed, put this family as a guide to the displaced families? He did so because this very family was fleeing the oppression of Herod in Bethlehem. In the wake of the determination of the despotic ruler to kill the children of Bethlehem following the birth of Lord Jesus Christ, the family fled to Egypt to be the first family ever to be displaced because of its faith. I also presented to His Holiness a message from the families displaced from Iraq that lived in Na’our township for six months and were supported by Caritas Jordan. These families moved to live in houses with the support of the UAE Red Crescent Society.
Amid the images depicting the tragedy as well the stories of support and solidarity, His Holiness the Pope held my hand saying: “I always wish Jordan well, to its people and guests. May the lord bless you.”
