Director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) Fr. Rifa’t Bader said that several propitious indications have emerged in our recent meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II with the prevailing atmosphere of Christmas. We have been used to meeting with His Majesty the King every year, yet this year’s meeting has had a special atmosphere with the issue of Jerusalem dominating the meeting, and with addresses delivered by Christian and Muslim figures who had earlier arrived from Jerusalem.
In a statement to Jordan News Agency, Petra, Fr. Bader said that during the meeting, the lights were shed on the gravity of the unilateral, illogical and illegal decision undertaken by the US president as well as on the reassertion on the Hashemites’ historical custodianship of the Islamic and Christian sanctities, for since the establishment of the Jordanian Emirate and later the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Hashemites have been and will always remain custodians of these sanctities.
He pointed out that what draws attention this year is the gathering of all bishops, priests, and Christian figures who unanimously agreed that Jerusalem and Amman are spiritual twins, with friendly and cordial ties between the two fraternal peoples. Furthermore, they highlighted the special status of the Baptism Site, which has been added on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
According to Fr. Bader, the Baptism Site is considered one of the most important sites of religious tourism in the world since from this river the Christian message emerged to cover the entire world. A few days ago, an Islamic-Christian-Hashemite Christmas well-wishes message was unveiled which says: Harmony among humans is one of the most important religious and human treasures which Jordan sends to the entire world. But this harmony cannot be fulfilled unless Jerusalem is the key to solving all problems.
