Royal Palace, Amman - Jordan
Iftar 2024
Your Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein,
Your Royal Highness Crown Prince Al-Hussein Ibn Abdullah,
I have the pleasure to convey to you my profound thanks for the invitation this evening to this Ramadan Iftar, which coincides with the start of the Lenten Season of fasting for the sisterly Churches that follow the Julian Calendar, and the Holy Week for the Churches that follow the Gregorian Calendar.
On Sunday, the day before yesterday, we celebrated Palm Sunday, and we walked in the traditional procession in the Holy City of Jerusalem, marked by good attendance, yet it was incomplete because our relatives, families, and parishioners were not able to come as has been the case every year. Furthermore, we missed the pilgrim brothers and sisters who used to come to us from all parts of the world to celebrate with us this Holy Week.
From the city of Jerusalem, the holy city, where the Muslim's calls for prayer are concurrent with the sounds of palms and fasting prayers, we raise one plea for the achievement of a dear wish, namely peace. Peace is still absent, but we highly greet all the efforts exerted on daily bases for the achievement of a ceasefire in Gaza, and for the establishment of justice and peace in entire Palestine, and in the world at large. We also look forward not only to the end of the bleak Gaza night, but for the international community to find a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue.
We all support the efforts undertaken by Your Majesty the King to send humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Christians in Gaza highly extend to Your Majesty greetings, appreciation, thanks, and gratitude for all the assistance that Jordan has provided, continue to do so, and will continue to do so in support of the brothers and sisters in Gaza.
Gaza is distressed, yet it aspires to see the dawn of justice and peace.
The Christians of Jerusalem, despite their dwindling number, live in historical brotherhood with their Muslim brethren and yearn for the attainment of a final solution which is represented in bringing to reality the two-state solution, which Your Majesty the King calls for.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem mobilizes all its institutions and individuals for prayer and for providing community service through schools and housing projects, and through all kinds of assistance to university students in order to help them build a better future, God willing.
As we congratulate your Majesty for you silver Jubilee of your enthronement, we thank Your Majesty for your continuous efforts to care and protect the Holy Christian and Muslim holy sites, we nowadays mark the 10th anniversary of the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to Jordan, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, and we reaffirm what was stated during His
Holiness’ speech, here in Jordan, when he said: “You are well-known, Your Majesty, as a man of peace and a peacemaker” (Pope Francis' speech, meeting with the authorities, May 24, 2014).
Thank you.
