During the meeting, His Majesty conveyed his greetings to His Holiness Pope Francis, expressing appreciation for the strong ties between Jordan and the Vatican. The discussion, attended by HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, the King’s Chief Advisor for Religious and Cultural Affairs and His Personal Envoy, focused on the enduring relationship between the two entities.

 

Cardinal Parolin thanked King Abdullah for his continued support and care for the Christian presence in Jordan.

 

The meeting emphasized the urgency of halting “Israel’s” war on Gaza and bolstering humanitarian efforts.

 

His Majesty commended Pope Francis’ stance in supporting an end to the suffering in Gaza. Additionally, King Abdullah warned of the dangers posed by ongoing “Israeli” violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

 

The meeting was attended by Alaa Batayneh, Director of the King’s Office; Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa; and Cardinal Parolin’s accompanying delegation.

 

On Friday, Cardinal Parolin participated in the inauguration of the Latin Baptism Church at the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ (Bethany Beyond the Jordan). The church was built on land allocated for this purpose under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II.