Director of the Catholic Center Meets Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

Al-Taj News – Director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan, Father Rifaat Badr, met His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City, on the sidelines of meetings of the “Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation among Diverse Religious Institutions and Leaders in the Arab World,” affiliated with the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, which were held in the Italian capital, Rome.

The delegation also included His Eminence Sheikh Omar Al-Rousan from the Iftaa Department.

Father Badr presented His Holiness Pope Leo XIV with a commemorative gift carrying special symbolism from Jordan, as part of the Holy Land. Its outer mosaic cover depicts the Jordan River and the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ, while its interior contains water from the Jordan River, Jordanian oil, a rosary made of silver in Jordan, as well as incense made by skilled Jordanian hands.

The delegation members also participated in the general audience of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, which His Holiness usually holds every Wednesday.

Father Badr referred to Jordan’s preparations to celebrate in 2030 the 2,000th anniversary of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

Father Badr said that the meeting took place in a friendly and spiritual atmosphere, expressing his happiness at the start of Jordanian preparations for this occasion, which is expected to attract thousands of visitors and pilgrims to Jordan.