Amman, Aug.12 (Petra) -- Building the Saint John the Baptist Maronite Church at the Baptism Site reflects Jordan's commitment to Islamic-Christian harmony and highlights the kingdom's religious and historical standing, the head of the Lower House of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee said on Wednesday.

Speaking during a parliamentary delegation visit to the Maronite Patriarchal Residence in Dimane, Lebanon, MP Haitham Al Ziadin said the church will serve as a bridge of fraternity between Jordan and Lebanon and add to the spiritual significance of the Baptism Site, where Jesus Christ was baptized.

The delegation attended a ceremony celebrating the signing of the operational protocol for the church's construction project and honoring businessman Sarkis Elias Sarkis, who is financing the project.

The parliamentary delegation included the head of the House Environment and Climate Committee, MP Jehad Abbawi, along with MPs Huda Naffa and Hayel Ayyash.

Ziyadin underscored the importance of the project in boosting religious tourism, calling on members of the Maronite community in Lebanon, the diaspora, and around the world to visit Jordan and the Baptism Site.

The ceremony was attended by the Lebanese ambassador to Jordan, Brigitte Touq. At the conclusion of the event, the Jordanian delegation presented commemorative shields to honor efforts supporting the construction project.

//Petra// AF