New Catholic church at the site of Jesus' baptism

A new Catholic church will be consecrated on Friday at the site of Al-Maghta on the Jordanian bank of the Jordan River , which is revered as the place where Jesus was baptised. Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin will preside over the ceremony to mark the annual pilgrimage of Jordanian Catholics to the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord, according to the local church. The Catholic Media Centre (CCSM) in Amman is expecting around 7,000 participants for the celebration, during which the altar of the church will also be consecrated. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, is also expected to attend the event in Jordan.

With space for up to 2,000 worshippers, the church is the second largest church building at the holy site with an area of around 1,500 square metres and one of the largest churches in the Middle East, according to the CCSM. The church, which is dedicated to the Baptism of the Lord, is one of the churches that pilgrims can visit to obtain an indulgence during the Holy Year 2025. According to the CCSM, the site is administered by the Verbo encarnado (Incarnate Word) community.

Site on the Unesco World Heritage List

The complex, for which the Jordanian royal family provided around three hectares of land, also includes two monasteries. The foundation stone for the new church was laid on 10 May 2009 by the then Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to the Holy Land. Pope Francis visited the site in 2014 and met with Syrian and Iraqi refugees in the unfinished building.

According to the CCSM, the tradition of pilgrimage to the Jordan River was re-established in 2000. Since then, the site has been greatly expanded with the support of Jordan's King Abdullah II, and several churches of different denominations have been built. The site has been offering guided tours for visitors since 2002. In 2015, Al-Maghtas was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Further project

Further expansion of the site is planned. Almost 138 hectares of land around the baptismal site are to be developed as part of a project costing around 280 million euros. The aim is to improve services for pilgrims and visitors to the site. Most recently, an international and interfaith advisory board was set up in October 2020 to oversee the development of the site. The members of the advisory board include the Dalai Lama, Chinese entrepreneur Jack Ma and New Zealand director and actor Sir Peter Jackson.

Due to the ongoing Gaza war since October 2023 and in solidarity with people suffering from the war, last year's celebration was held in a limited form without the usual scout groups and music. (KNA)