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On May 27, 2014, on the initiative of King Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein of Jordan, representatives of several Orthodox Churches, led by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, said a prayer for peace at the religious archeological preserve “The Place of the Baptism of Jesus Christ on the Jordan”.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, participating in the inter-Orthodox prayer were Archbishop Mark of Yegorievsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Institutions Abroad, and Hegumen Feofan (Lukyanov), acting head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. Among the participants were also hierarchs from the Serbian, Romanian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches.

The event was attended by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Chief Advisor to King Abdullah II for Religious and Cultural Affairs. In the end of the rite, a prayer for peace was said by representatives of Orthodox Churches in various languages.

Earlier that day, the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church was among honorary guests at a reception given by the King of Jordan in the Royal Palace in Amman. Pointing to the historic nature of the meeting, King Abdullah assured his guests that the ruling Hoshimite dynasty is a patron and protector of Christians in the Holy Land. The King of Jordan also spoke of the efforts taken by Jordan to protect Christians and Muslims in Jerusalem and in the Palestinian territories.

On May 26, Archbishop Mark visited the Russian hospice located near the place of the Baptism of Jesus Christ on the Jordan River and the Russian Embassy in Jordan.

 

DECR Communication Service

Photos by the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission