Preparations for 2000th anniversary of the Lord's Baptism begin in Jordan

Members of the committee gathered for they first meeting in Jordan. Photo: vaticannews

The National Committee for the preparation of celebrations marking the 2000th anniversary of the Baptism of Jesus Christ held its first meeting in Jordan, where a pilgrimage development program for 2030 was discussed, reports the Vatican News.

The meeting on August 10, 2026 was chaired by Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan. During the meeting, Hassan stressed the need to immediately begin preparations in line with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II to support the initiative put forward by the Council of Church Leaders in Jordan. He said commemorating the second millennium of the Baptism of Jesus Christ reflects Jordan's historical and religious standing and its role as a global destination for Christian pilgrimage and reaffirms the commitment to interfaith peace and brotherhood.

Hassan said the government is mobilizing all available resources to support the occasion, describing it as an opportunity to reinforce Jordan's position as a land of religious heritage and a global destination for Christian pilgrims. The meeting reviewed plans by the Foundation for the Development of Lands Adjacent to the Baptism Site to implement several projects, including an integrated village for Christian pilgrims and visitors, a museum dedicated to the Baptism of Jesus Christ, a green corridor and infrastructure upgrades at the site where, according to tradition, John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River.

The National Committee for Preparing the Celebration of the Second Millennium of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in 2030 is chaired by the Jordanian Prime Minister. Its membership includes the Ministers of Government Communication, Interior, Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, and Tourism and Antiquities.

The committee also includes Bishop Christophoros Atallah, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Jordan; Archbishop Dr. Iyad Twal, Latin Patriarchal Vicar in Jordan; Archbishop Hossam Naoum, Anglican Archbishop; Bishop Munib Younan, former Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Baptism Site Development Foundation; the Director General of the Baptism Site Commission; the Director General of the Jordan Tourism Board;Nadim Al-Mauasher; Osama Imseeh; and Basem Farraj.

The participants agreed to establish specialized subcommittees to implement the projects with the involvement of relevant experts.

As the UOJ reported, the Serbian Church will build a church at the site of the Lord's Baptism on the bank of the Jordan River.

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