Jordan is gearing up for Pope Francis’ visit on the 24th of may , a trip that marks the 50-year anniversary of the first papal trip to the region While it has become a papal tradition to follow the steps of Jesus starting in Jordan, home to the pilgrimage site of Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the pope’s visit comes amid heightened tensions in the region which have forced many Christians to flee.
On May 24., the Pope will meet with King Abdullah and Queen Rania. He will also hold mass at the international stadium in Amman where twenty thousand people are expected to attend.
“We are looking forward to the Pope’s visit,” said Father Rifaat Bader, the spokesman for the Catholic Church in Jordan and organizer of the papal visit. “The Pope wants to draw attention to the plight of those who are suffering as a result of the violence and were forced to flee their homes,” he said.
The Pope told representatives of Catholic churches last year: “We should never resign ourselves to thinking of the Middle East without the Christians.”
In Jordan, Christians are a small community and continue to live for the most part in harmony with Muslims. The pope’s pilgrimage here is significant for a country that is rich with biblical sites and pitches itself as model of interfaith and coexistence.
In preparation for the Pope’s visit, the Greater Amman Municipality has put forth an action plan to ensure cleaner and well-lit streets along the route the papal convoy will take.
Since Pope Francis is known to break with protocol, he asked for a smaller vehicle. He didn’t want any official state cars, Father Bader said.
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