PM hails national unity in Christmas greeting

AMMAN — Prime Minister Omar Razzaz on Wednesday extended his greeting to Christians in Jordan on the occasion of Christmas and the New Year during a visit to St Mary of Nazareth Church in Amman.

The premier said that holidays in Jordan are an “expression of the Kingdom’s true national unity”, adding that Jordanians embody the values ​​of peaceful coexistence, love, harmony and dialogue.

He underscored the role of His Majesty King Abdullah as the Custodian of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

In the presence of the heads of churches in the Kingdom, senators, deputies and representatives of the Christian clergy, Razzaz pointed out that Jordan, with its model of coexistence between Muslims and Christians, embodies a “homogeneous mosaic” of religious diversity.

He concluded his speech with a prayer for peace upon Jordan and Jerusalem.

Archbishop William Shomali, the bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Jordan, said that "Christians and Muslims in Jordan are one family, following His Majesty King Abdullah in adhering to the values ​​of openness, dialogue and respect for the other.”

On behalf of the churches in Jordan, Archbishop Shomali thanked the government for its recent decision to allocate a plot of land in Shafa Badran as a Christian cemetery for the people of northern Amman.

Director of the Catholic Centre for Studies and Media, Father Refaat Badr, said that Christians are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of His Majesty's decision to observe Christmas Day as an official holiday in Jordan.

Meanwhile, at the end of the visit, the charge d'affaires of the Vatican embassy in Jordan, Mons. Mauro Lalli, delivered a "letter of peace" to the Prime Minister from Pope Francis.