AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania, accompanied by Italian First Lady Laura Mattarella, visited the ‘Jordan: Dawn of Christianity’ exhibition at the Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome on Tuesday, where Her Majesty called on Europeans to visit Jordan and experience its rich heritage.
Held under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah, the month-long exhibition is a collaborative effort between Jordan’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Jordan Tourism Board, and the Vatican, according to a statement from Office of Her Majesty .
Her Majesty and the Italian First Lady toured the exhibition, which features 90 artifacts from over 30 different archeological sites in Jordan, aiming to highlight the country’s historical significance to Christianity.
Inviting visitors from across Italy and Europe to visit Jordan, the Queen stressed the country’s exceptional cultural wealth and its thriving Christian community, which is one of oldest in the world, the statement said.
“Jordan is the land of hospitality – anyone who has visited us will attest to the warmth and graciousness of its people. But Jordan is also steeped in history. Everywhere you turn, there are echoes of the ancient civilizations that once called our land home,” Queen Rania said.
“With such a remarkable blend of cultures and traditions, our country truly has something for everyone. Jordan is an experience you won’t want to miss,” she added.
State Secretary of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Grand Chancellor of the Order of Malta, Ricardo Paternò di Montecupo, President of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, Monsignor Giordano Piccinotti, Ambassador of Jordan to Italy, Kais Abu Dayyeh, and Ambassador of Jordan to the French Republic and the Holy See, Leena Al Hadid, welcomed Her Majesty and the Italian First Lady to the exhibition, which commemorates 30 years of diplomatic ties between Jordan and the Holy See.
The different displays trace the evolution of Christianity in Jordan across a number of time periods, beginning with the baptism of Christ through the Byzantine and Islamic Empires, and leading into the present Hashemite era, according to the statement.
The exhibition also features artifacts from five pilgrimage sites in Jordan, including Mount Nebo, the memorial of Prophet Moses; Tel Mar Elias, the birthplace of Prophet Elijah; Our Lady of the Mountain Church, a shrine commemorating Mother Mary; Machaerus, the site of John the Baptist’s martyrdom; and the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ.
Coinciding with the Vatican’s Holy Jubilee Year under the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and featuring archeological items never before displayed outside of Jordan, the exhibition aims to serve as an open invitation for the world to explore Jordan’s spiritual and cultural treasures and its rich biblical landscape.
