Bishop Iyad Twal, Latin patriarchal vicar for Jordan and a member of the board of trustees of the Baptism Site Commission, recently affirmed that Jordan is "part of the Holy Land" and described 2030 — marking 2,000 years since Jesus' baptism in the Jordan — as an opportunity to strengthen the country's place on the Christian pilgrimage map.
In an interview with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Twal said the holy sites of Jordan and Palestine are connected through a single spiritual journey and stressed that the goal is not competition among countries to attract pilgrims but rather a shared experience of faith in the Holy Land.
Twal said the Church views the Holy Land as the "geography of salvation." Its sacred sites, he explained, are not merely places to visit but spaces where the faithful can live out a spiritual experience and encounter the local Church.
He emphasized that tourism preparations, investments, and infrastructure development must not overshadow the spiritual dimension of the occasion. Development, he said, should serve the pilgrim's experience and help pilgrims live it fully rather than turn a holy site into merely a tourist destination.
Twal praised the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan's response to the initiative for 2030 and its establishment of a high-level national committee chaired by the prime minister. He said cooperation among the state, the Church, the private sector, and relevant institutions could create a partnership that brings together the occasion's religious, humanitarian, and cultural dimensions.
He also explained that his relationship with the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ has evolved from the personal and spiritual experience of his episcopal consecration there in 2025 into a direct ecclesial responsibility focused on preserving the site's sacred character and serving pilgrims and visitors.
Twal described the local Church as the "living stones" of the Holy Land. He emphasized the importance of introducing pilgrims to the lives of its Christians through their families, young people, schools, and social and ecclesial institutions, enabling visitors to discover their experience of faith and their presence in society.
He said the occasion could also create new opportunities for development, particularly for young people, by advancing the hospitality, services, and religious tourism sectors and making use of technology. Such efforts, he noted, could generate employment and support local communities.
Twal called for reconnecting the region's holy sites within a single pilgrimage route. When circumstances permit, he said, pilgrims could travel through Egypt, Jordan, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Nazareth, allowing them to experience the "full journey."
He stressed that the "success of 2030" should not be measured solely by its celebrations but by what remains afterward in the life of the Church, pilgrimage, and the local community. He added that the occasion could mark the beginning of a journey extending to 2033 and the commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Twal summarized the message he hopes pilgrims will carry home with the words: "Renew your baptismal promises." He called for each visit to be accompanied by a renewal of faith, an encounter with the local Church, and a deeper understanding of the experience of Arab Christians in the Holy Land.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
