Upon his arrival at Amman's
Queen Alia International Airport, Friday 8 May 2009, Pope
Benedict XVI was welcomed by the King and Queen, and then gave
the following address. Your Majesties,
Your Excellencies,
Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear Friends,
It is with joy that I greet all of you here present, as I
begin my first visit to the Middle East since my election to the
Apostolic See, and I am pleased to set foot upon the soil of the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a land so rich in history, home to
so many ancient civilizations, and deeply imbued with religious
significance for Jews, Christians and Muslims. I thank His
Majesty King Abdullah II for his kind words of welcome, and I
offer my particular congratulations in this year that marks the
tenth anniversary of his accession to the throne. In greeting
His Majesty, I extend heartfelt good wishes to all members of
the Royal Family and the Government, and to all the people of
the Kingdom. I greet the Bishops here present, especially those
with pastoral responsibilities in Jordan. I look forward to
celebrating the liturgy at Saint George’s Cathedral tomorrow
evening and at the International Stadium on Sunday together with
you, dear Bishops, and so many of the faithful entrusted to your
care.
I come to Jordan as a pilgrim, to venerate holy places that
have played such an important part in some of the key events of
Biblical history. At Mount Nebo, Moses led his people to within
sight of the land that would become their home, and here he died
and was laid to rest. At Bethany beyond the Jordan, John the
Baptist preached and bore witness to Jesus, whom he baptized in
the waters of the river that gives this land its name. In the
coming days I shall visit both these holy places, and I shall
have the joy of blessing the foundation stones of churches that
are to be built at the traditional site of the Lord’s Baptism.
The opportunity that Jordan’s Catholic community enjoys to build
public places of worship is a sign of this country’s respect for
religion, and on their behalf I want to say how much this
openness is appreciated. Religious freedom is, of course, a
fundamental human right, and it is my fervent hope and prayer
that respect for the inalienable rights and dignity of every man
and woman will come to be increasingly affirmed and defended,
not only throughout the Middle East, but in every part of the
world.
My visit to Jordan gives me a welcome opportunity to speak of
my deep respect for the Muslim community, and to pay tribute to
the leadership shown by His Majesty the King in promoting a
better understanding of the virtues proclaimed by Islam. Now
that some years have passed since the publication of the Amman
Message and the Amman Interfaith Message, we can say that these
worthy initiatives have achieved much good in furthering an
alliance of civilizations between the West and the Muslim world,
confounding the predictions of those who consider violence and
conflict inevitable. Indeed the Kingdom of Jordan has long been
at the forefront of initiatives to promote peace in the Middle
East and throughout the world, encouraging inter-religious
dialogue, supporting efforts to find a just solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, welcoming refugees from
neighboring Iraq, and seeking to curb extremism. I cannot let
this opportunity pass without calling to mind the pioneering
efforts for peace in the region made by the late King Hussein.
How fitting that my meeting tomorrow with Muslim religious
leaders, the diplomatic corps and University rectors should take
place in the mosque that bears his name. May his commitment to
the resolution of the region’s conflicts continue to bear fruit
in efforts to promote lasting peace and true justice for all who
live in the Middle East.
Dear Friends, at the Seminar held in Rome last autumn by the
Catholic-Muslim Forum, the participants examined the central
role played in our respective religious traditions by the
commandment of love. I hope very much that this visit, and
indeed all the initiatives designed to foster good relations
between Christians and Muslims, will help us to grow in love for
the Almighty and Merciful God, and in fraternal love for one
another. Thank you for your welcome. Thank you for your
attention. May God grant Your Majesties happiness and long life!
May he bless Jordan with prosperity and peace!
[Original text: English] |