By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Queen Rania greeted Pope Benedict XVI as he descended the plane in Amman, Jordan today to begin his historic pilgrimmage to the Holy Land.
“I come to Jordan as a pilgrim,” the Pope said in an address to the various civil authorities, bishops and faithful who gathered to welcome him.
He went on to express his appreciation for the “opportunity that Jordan’s Catholic community enjoys to build public places of worship”, describing it as “a sign of this country’s respect for religion.”
He continued: “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.”
The Pope said his 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,” he said.
“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 neighbouring Iraq, and seeking to curb extremism.”
This is the twelfth trip of Pope Benedict’s pontificate and will take him to Israel and the Palestinian territories before his return to Rome on May 15.
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