Father Rifat Bader, director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan, met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on the sidelines of meetings held by the Dialogue and Cooperation Platform between Diverse Religious Institutions and Leaders in the Arab World, Al-Ghad reported.
اضافة اعلان
The platform operates under the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and convened its sessions in Rome.
Sheikh Omar Al-Rousan of the Department of Fatwas also took part in the delegation.
Bader presented the pope with a commemorative gift representing the Holy Land. Its mosaic cover depicts the Jordan River and the site of Jesus Christ's baptism, and it contains water from the river, Jordanian olive oil, a silver rosary made in Jordan and incense crafted by Jordanian artisans.
The delegation attended Pope Leo XIV's weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, which he holds most Wednesdays.Bader noted that Jordan is preparing to mark the 2,000th anniversary of Christ's baptism in the Jordan River in 2030.
The meeting took place in a friendly and spiritual atmosphere, Bader told the Jordan News Agency (Petra), adding that he was pleased preparations for the anniversary were underway. He said the occasion is expected to draw thousands of visitors and pilgrims to Jordan.
Source: Al-Ghad, Petra
