Jordan Times
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
King urges Christian leaders to stand together to protect Jerusalem
AMMAN (JT) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday
called for a unified stance between churches in the Holy Land and their Western
counterparts in order to face up to the challenges facing Jerusalem and its
Christian Arab residents.
At a meeting with a delegation representing Christian religious leaders from
Europe and the US, the King urged the churches to meet regularly to assess ways
to protect Jerusalem and its Christian Arab citizens, warning against attempts
to depopulate the Holy City of its residents and strip away its identity.
Over 50 Catholic bishops and other church leaders from North America and Europe
are currently in the region on a solidarity mission with Christians in the Holy
Land.
The senior clergymen, who represent a bishops' council that coordinates the
affairs of Catholic churches in Europe and the US, arrived in Amman yesterday
from Palestine where they engaged in several activities related to their
mission.
King Abdullah acquainted the religious leaders with Jordan's efforts to promote
religious tolerance and coexistence, citing the Amman Message, which Jordan
released in 2004 in an effort to spell out the true spirit of Islam.
Bishop William Skylstad, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops,
praised King Abdullah's peace efforts and his persistent endeavours to launch
and support dialogue between the followers of the three monotheistic religions.
He also commended Jordan's Constitution, which guarantees religious freedoms in
the Kingdom.
Skylstad renewed the council's commitment to support churches in Jordan and the
Holy Land and its efforts to promote peace and understanding among the faithful
from the three religions.
Also Tuesday, the bishops visited Christian holy sites in the Kingdom.
The bishops were also scheduled to meet yesterday with key local Christian
figures for a briefing on the history of Jordanian Christians' contribution to
the political, cultural and economic life of the country.