Unveiling the Church of the Baptism of Jesus in Wadi al Kharar
By: Asia News
Published Date:
Amman – The Catholic community in Jordan is gearing up for a significant moment in the coming days with the solemn inauguration of the Church of the Baptism of Jesus in Wadi al Kharar. The site in the desert area near the Jordan River is where an ancient tradition identifies the Gospel account of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. The celebration is set for Friday, January 10, presided over by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, appointed as the papal legate by Pope Francis. Around 7,000 people, including faithful from the Catholic communities of the Holy Land and international guests, are expected to attend.
The rediscovery of the Wadi al Kharar site is the result of research by the renowned Franciscan archaeologist, Michele Piccirillo (who passed away in 2008). Identifying this location as the “Bethany beyond the Jordan” mentioned in the Gospel of John, Piccirillo unearthed traces of ancient churches that attest to how the early Christian communities placed the memory of Jesus’ baptism here. The Jordanian royal family also played a crucial role, believing in the potential of this discovery for interreligious dialogue and tourism. The king donated land to all Christian denominations in Jordan, allowing each to build a new church in this significant location on the banks of the Jordan River.
Pope John Paul II visited this site in his historic jubilee pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2000. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI laid the foundation stone of the Latin Church here, a construction site visited by Pope Francis in 2014 and now set for a solemn inauguration.
The completion of the church in the Jubilee year marks a significant step towards another event for this corner of the Holy Land: the Baptism Site is gearing up to celebrate the two thousand years since Jesus’ baptism in the waters of the Jordan River in 2030. The hope is that peace will allow many pilgrims to experience this important milestone in this Holy Place in Jordan.
Meanwhile, the area continues to offer new spiritual experiences: last summer, Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, chief advisor to King Abdullah II for Cultural and Religious Affairs and chairman of the Baptism Site Authority’s Board of Directors, officially opened the Path of John the Baptist. This 3 km route, consisting of seven stations with biblical meditations, starts from Mount Nebo, crosses Wadi Al-Kharar, and leads to the baptismal pool, the spring of John the Baptist, and the remains of the ancient churches built here in memory of Jesus’ baptism. The journey culminates at the Latin Church.
