• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Pope Francis makes the Sign of the Cross in 2014 after praying at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, which UNESCO just declared a World Heritage Site and the location of Jesus' baptism. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Jordan to develop tourist village next to World Heritage Baptism Site

December 15, 2022
By Dale Gavlak
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Saints, World News

AMMAN, Jordan (CNS) — Jordan began Christmas celebrations by unveiling a project that could attract 1 million pilgrims annually to the officially recognized site of Jesus’ baptism on the east bank of the Jordan River.

An area adjacent to Bethany Beyond the Jordan, as mentioned in the New Testament, will be developed to allow Christian pilgrims and visitors to spend more quality time at the Baptism Site, as it is called, “to learn, appreciate and renew their journey of faith and spirituality.”

More than 25 years ago, excavations began on the east bank of the Jordan River and uncovered the Baptism Site. The area is full of the ruins of ancient Roman and Byzantine churches and chapels, a monastery, hermit caves and baptism pools, destroyed by earthquakes and the river’s flooding. Through the centuries, the area had commemorated the site of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. Now, modern-day visitors can spend only a couple of hours there due to a lack of accommodations and services.

King Abdullah II of Jordan, center, and Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, second from right, attend a development presentation at the site of Jesus’ baptism at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, near Amman, Dec. 7, 2022. (CNS photo/Jordanian Royal Palace handout via Reuters)

A $300 million six-phased building project to establish a biblical tourist village located adjacent to this UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site seeks to address that, while respecting the spiritual integrity of the holy site itself. The goal is to see this possibly completed for the 2,000th anniversary of Christ’s baptism.

Catholic and other Christian leaders welcomed Jordan’s plans to transform the Baptism Site into one of the world’s leading Christian pilgrimage and spiritual destinations.

“For 2,000 years churches were established here as part of world heritage. Now is the time to fulfill the needs of the pilgrims who come to the Baptism Site, which until now has provided basic services,” explained Father Rifat Bader, director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan. “There are also some churches in the area that have not yet been completed or consecrated.”

“However, for pilgrims who wish to spend more than an hour or two at the site and would like to pray, rest, have privacy, and enjoy the experience of John the Baptist in the wilderness, this project aims to improve the lands beside the holy site,” the priest told Catholic News Service.

“The Baptism Site is the land of prayer. The proposed master plan is beautiful, but now we need for this new project providing services for pilgrims to be realized. However, time, money and effort are needed from everyone,” he emphasized.

Greek Orthodox Father Ibrahim Dabbour, who heads the Assembly of Christian Leaders of Jordan representing all denominations, praised the project.

“It’s very important. The site itself is very important in the worship of God. From the Baptism Site, Jesus began his mission to all the nations — his mission of love. It’s very important for Christians to come and be sanctified by the waters of the Jordan River, where Jesus Christ himself was baptized,” Father Dabbour told CNS.

“The Baptism Site is a spiritual place. There were many monks and monasteries in this area as well as in Egypt and Sinai. Monasteries were built in this area because of the holy places and lands. Our king King Abdullah II) is making this project to enable Christians to come and be purified from the holy water of the Jordan River,” he said.

The Jordanian monarch attended the project’s inauguration on Dec. 8 and has been lauded by Christian leaders for fostering religious harmony in the Muslim majority kingdom by offering land for churches and pilgrimage centers. King Abdullah also has been recognized by Catholics and others for his promotion of peace in the troubled Middle East, support of interreligious dialogue, welcome of refugees and educational reforms.

Samir Murad, a former Jordanian labor minister, heads the project for the nonprofit Foundation for Development of Lands Adjacent to the Baptism Site. The foundation is not connected to the government, but rather is self-financed, fully independent and governed by a board of trustees appointed by royal decree. Murad affirmed that the spiritual integrity of the site will be preserved.

“We are mandated to work in sync with the commission, international law, and very much in line with the holy churches around the world,” he told CNS.

The adjacent area of some 400 acres will see farms set up engaging local community development by providing food to restaurants on the ground, a “glamping” village of traditional Bedouin tents housing visitors, a botanical garden of biblical fruit-baring plants and herbs with those revived like the balsam tree, and eventually a bird sanctuary, museum and small amphitheater. Wi-Fi and GSM infrastructure are below ground to avoid visual distortion of the wilderness setting. A three-star hotel may come later.

“We will protect the site in its current state and format. However, because this site belongs to the world, to humanity, it is essential that people have access to it,” Murad said. “We will create a destination where visitors can come and enjoy the Baptism Site. Simplicity with modernity in a very low-profile manner.”

“All donations received will be spent within the project itself,” said Murad, who along with the board of trustees volunteers their time to seeing access to this valuable historic treasure enlarged. “This is a project for all of humanity, for all of time.”

St. John Paul II visited the Baptism Site, about 30 miles west of Amman, in March 2000 and celebrated Mass there, while Pope Benedict XVI visited in May 2009 and blessed the foundation stones of the Latin and Greek Melkite churches. Five years later, Pope Francis prayed there and placed the cornerstone for the building of a big Catholic Church and two monasteries.

Other Christian denominations, including the Anglicans, recognize the Jordanian site and are also constructing churches. The Greek Orthodox St. George Church and the Russian Pilgrim Residence are already present. The site is overseen by the Baptism Site Commission, chaired by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, a cousin of King Abdullah.

Read More Saints

Visiting Upstate New York’s National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs

How a Norbertine nun’s visions led to the feast of Corpus Christi

Fox Nation announces second season for ‘Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints’

Pope sets Sept. 7 for joint canonization of Blesseds Acutis and Frassati

Fathers of the Church: The Greek (or Eastern) Fathers

Inspired by millennial soon-to-be-saint, Irish teens created animated Lego-Carlo Acutis film

Copyright © 2022 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Dale Gavlak

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prodigal son to priest

  • Deacon Alex Mwebaze is happy to call Maryland home

  • Deacon O’Donnell’s ‘normal’ faith life led to priestly vocation

  • Thank you to a one-of-a-kind teacher

  • Need for more Catholic Army chaplains to serve military flock as great as ever, say two priests

| Latest Local News |

Juneteenth

Juneteenth seen as day to reflect on freedom, ending racism and Black Catholics’ contributions

Deacon O’Donnell’s ‘normal’ faith life led to priestly vocation

St. Joseph Church in Fullerton

Fullerton church begins renovations

Deacon Alex Mwebaze is happy to call Maryland home

Knights of Columbus announces June 19 novena for intention of Pope Leo

| Latest World News |

Bomb Iran

Trump orders US attack on Iran nuclear sites, as Pope Leo, bishops plead for peace

Visiting Upstate New York’s National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs

Catholic Relief Services worker in Ipwizi, Tanzania

Washington Roundup: Trump weighs options in Israel-Iran conflict, CLINIC condemns expanded ICE raids

Malta in the Jubilee Year: A quieter pilgrimage of hope

JUBILEE

Finance experts launch report at Vatican on foreign debt relief

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Trump orders US attack on Iran nuclear sites, as Pope Leo, bishops plead for peace
  • We are part of the miracle
  • Visiting Upstate New York’s National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs
  • Washington Roundup: Trump weighs options in Israel-Iran conflict, CLINIC condemns expanded ICE raids
  • Malta in the Jubilee Year: A quieter pilgrimage of hope
  • Finance experts launch report at Vatican on foreign debt relief
  • Hundreds of thousands march in Poland’s Corpus Christi processions
  • Traditionalist Catholics see evangelization potential of Latin Mass
  • Juneteenth seen as day to reflect on freedom, ending racism and Black Catholics’ contributions

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED