Paven mottatt av kong Abdullah og dronning Rania

PAVE BENEDIKT XVIs APOSTOLISKE REISE TIL DET HELLIGE LAND:

Pave Benedikt XVI landet den 8. mai ca. kl. 14.30 lokal tid i Jordan. Han ble mottatt av kong Abdullah II og hans dronning Rania på Ammans internasjonale flyplass Queen Alia - en gest som skal representere et brudd på kongelig jordansk protokoll.

I sin tale på flyplassen startet Den hellige far med å vektlegge at han kommer som pilegrim for å besøke de hellige steder, og han understreket trosfrihet som en grunnleggende menneskerettighet (utdrag av talen siteres på engelsk):

"I come to Jordan as a pilgrim, to venerate holy places that have played such an important part in some of the key events of Biblical history. At Mount Nebo, Moses led his people to within sight of the land that would become their home, and here he died and was laid to rest. At Bethany beyond the Jordan, John the Baptist preached and bore witness to Jesus, whom he baptized in the waters of the river that gives this land its name. In the coming days I shall visit both these holy places, and I shall have the joy of blessing the foundation stones of churches that are to be built at the traditional site of the Lord's Baptism. The opportunity that Jordan's Catholic community enjoys to build public places of worship is a sign of this country's respect for religion, and on their behalf I want to say how much this openness is appreciated. Religious freedom is, of course, a fundamental human right, and it is my fervent hope and prayer that respect for the inalienable rights and dignity of every man and woman will come to be increasingly affirmed and defended, not only throughout the Middle East, but in every part of the world."

Paven berømmet også kongedømmet Jordan for sin innsats for å bygge ned konflikt mellom vestlige land og den islamske verden, uttrykte sin dype respekt for det muslimske samfunn og berømmet jordanske lederes dialoginitiativ:

"My visit to Jordan gives me a welcome opportunity to speak of my deep respect for the Muslim community, and to pay tribute to the leadership shown by His Majesty the King in promoting a better understanding of the virtues proclaimed by Islam. Now that some years have passed since the publication of the Amman Message and the Amman Interfaith Message, we can say that these worthy initiatives have achieved much good in furthering an alliance of civilizations between the West and the Muslim world, confounding the predictions of those who consider violence and conflict inevitable. Indeed the Kingdom of Jordan has long been at the forefront of initiatives to promote peace in the Middle East and throughout the world, encouraging inter-religious dialogue, supporting efforts to find a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, welcoming refugees from neighboring Iraq, and seeking to curb extremism. I cannot let this opportunity pass without calling to mind the pioneering efforts for peace in the region made by the late King Hussein. How fitting that my meeting tomorrow with Muslim religious leaders, the diplomatic corps and University rectors should take place in the mosque that bears his name. May his commitment to the resolution of the region's conflicts continue to bear fruit in efforts to promote lasting peace and true justice for all who live in the Middle East."

I en like hjertelig velkomsttale sa kong Abdullah at det var en stor ære å få ønske Hans Hellighet og hans delegasjon velkommen, og kongen understreket viktigheten av at muslimer og kristne lever side om side i harmoni. Han oppfordret videre begge religioner til å "fornye vår forpliktelse til gjensidig respekt" og "skape en ny og global dialog av forståelse og god vilje":

"There is a strong basis for harmony between us. At one level, it is our simple, shared humanity, which binds us in a world of interdependence. But, for we who are believers in the One God, there is an even deeper basis for understanding. That basis is the commandment expressed in the Holy Scriptures of Muslim, Christian, and Jew: to love God, and love one's neighbour. These principles are foundational, and inseparable. As was said by the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him: "None of you has faith until you love for your brother what you love for yourself."

Kong Abdullah uttrykkte videre stolthet over Amman-budskapet og nevnte også "Common Word"- initiativet som startet i Jordan og er et forsøk på å styrke forståelsen mellom kristne og muslimer:

"Your Holiness, we welcome your commitment to dispel the misconceptions and divisions that have harmed relations between Christians and Muslims. You have warmly received the visits of Muslim scholars and others. In turn, your historic visit this week to the King Hussein Mosque, your meeting with Muslim religious scholars, is welcomed by all Jordanians. It is my hope that together, we can expand the dialogue we have opened - a dialogue that accepts our unique religious identities; a dialogue that is unafraid of the light of truth; a dialogue that, rightly, celebrates our deep, common values and ties."

Avslutningsvis uttrykte kong Abdullah sitt håp for Den hellige fars besøk i landet:

"During your time with us, your words of wisdom and goodness will touch many lives - both here in Jordan, and around the region and the world. In the days ahead, may we, together, deepen and enrich the work of peace that God commands of us. And in these great hopes, Your Holiness, we welcome you today."

Pave Benedikt forlater Jordan den 11. mai og flyr da rett videre til Israel, hvor han mottas på Tel Avivs internasjonale flyplass Ben Gurion.

terrasanta.net (8. mai 2009)