Pope Benedict XVI
will visited holy Christian biblical sites for 4 -day trip to Jordan during May, 2009
The Pontiff, hold a public Mass in Jordan, at the spot on Mount Nebo where Moses first saw the Holy Land. He also travelled to the lowest spot on Earth to Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist. During his pilgrimage to the Baptism Sites (also known as Al-Maghtas in Arabic), Pope Benedict XVI is expected to lay the corner stone for the Latin Church under construction at the moment. He will be the second pope to visit the Site after Pope John Paul II, who officially recognized it during his 2000 pilgrimage.
The Pontiff’s 3-day visit will include an audience with His Majesty King Abdullah II and a meeting with prominent Islamic figures, diplomatic corps, and other officials including presidents of universities in an effort to further promote interfaith dialogue. The Pope will hold a mass at the Amman Stadium at Al-Hussein Sport City and another at the Holy See Embassy Church. His itinerary also includes a visit to Al-Hussein Ben Talal Mosque and the Madaba University, which is being built by the Roman Catholic Church.
During the Pope visit - Amman celebrate 100 years since the establishment of “modern Amman.” The capital, known historically as Rabbath Ammon, is one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities and was an important crossroads connecting the Arabian Peninsula in the south to Damascus in the north and the “Syrian desert” in the east to Palestine and the Mediterranean in the west.
Jordan Festival 2009
July 7 – August 8
July 7th marks the launching date of Jordan Festival 2009, which will continue with it festivities and activities until August 8.
This date was chosen because it marks the second anniversary of Petra's becoming one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, a step that solidified Jordan's position on the cultural map of humanity, and reflected its continuous contribution to architecture, art, literature, values and heritage.
Jordan Festival, which is organized by the Higher Commission of Jordan Festival, and is upheld by the Ministry of Culture, was established with a vision to create a public and national culture that will rise up to the artistic taste of the public, and be an essential factor in the building of a national personality to present to the world.
The Baptism Site (Arabic: el-Maghtas) on the Jordan side of the Jordan River is one of the most important recent discoveries in biblical archaeology
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In Jordan, you are likely to hear the word, Welcome
The Nabateans built the capital of their ancient kingdom, Petra, in what is now Jordan between 400 B.C.E. and 160 C.E.
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Culture and State in Jordan: Religious Freedom and Citizenship
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