Madaba, Sept. 29 (Petra) – Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil visited the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ (Al-Maghtas) on Monday as part of a pilgrimage to Christian holy sites and a visit to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Daniil was accompanied by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and the accompanying patriarchal delegation.

Upon their arrival at the Baptism Site after entering Jordan through the King Hussein Border Crossing, the two patriarchs were received by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Chief Adviser to His Majesty the King for Religious and Cultural Affairs and His Majesty’s Personal Envoy, in the presence of Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Jordan Christophoros.

Prince Ghazi accompanied the visiting patriarch and delegation on a tour that included the site of Mar Elias, the spring and cave of St. John the Baptist, the Church of St. Mary of Egypt, and other religious and historical landmarks in the area.

The Bulgarian patriarch visited the Jordan River at the Baptism Site, while the two patriarchs toured the Baptism Site International Orthodox University and received a briefing on its facilities and academic programs.

The visit came as part of ecclesiastical relations between the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and included several sites associated with Christian pilgrimage in Jordan.

//Petra// AO