Business Meeting of RJBC Deputy Chairman, Kononenko V. A., and Baptism of Christ Complex Director, Mr. Dia Al-Madani. Visit to Building Site of Russian House of Pilgrims on River Jordan

The meeting of Kononenko V. A., Deputy Chairman of the Russian-Jordanian Business Council and Chairman of the Commission for Tourism, Culture, Religion and Coordination with Public Organizations, with Mr. Dia Al-Madani, Director of the Complex, took place at the Baptism of Christ Complex director’s office on 21st March 2009. Mr. Zaydoon Al-Jamal, Chief Engineer and Head of the Baptism of Christ Complex Operation & Maintenance Division, and Mr. Opria A.Y., Chief Construction Project Engineer of the Russian House of Pilgrims on the river Jordan, took part in the meeting.

The uniqueness of Jordan is in its diversity and a nice combination of its strategic geographical location with a temperate climate, a variety of the scenery, its rich history and culture, historical landmarks and sites, archaeological sites, religious and spiritual shrines and sacred places.

The place on the river Jordan, where St. John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ is the main attraction for the millions of tourists from all over the world. (In 2008 over 280 thousand of pilgrims, mainly Europeans, visited the sacred place of the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan.)

The sacred place of the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan is a place of an inter-religious dialogue. In due time the heads of a lot of confessions and religions visited this sacred place. The Pope Benedict XVI is going to visit the Baptism of Christ sacred place from 8th to 11th May. State leaders consider it an honour to go to the Baptism of Christ sacred place during their visits to Jordan.

King of Jordan Abdullah II gave to Russia 1 hectare of land on the river Jordan next to the official place of the Baptism of Christ as a token of high respect for the Russian people and all the Orthodox in Russia.

This land was given to the Russian Federation in return for the efforts made by Russia to establish a long-term trade and economic, scientific and technical, religious and cultural mutual relations with Jordan.

The issues regarding the popularization of the Jordanian religious attractions and, first of all, of the place of the Baptism of Christ were under discussion at the meeting.

The positive dynamics of the expanding number of pilgrims from Russia was noted. It also happens thanks to the energetic activity of Baptism of Christ Complex Director, Mr. Dia Al-Madani, and his employees, the position and activities of the Jordan Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities, which is headed by Ms. Maha Khatib, and the direct supervision of Prince Gazy Ben Muhammed, who is Head of the King’s Council for Religious Denominations.

The building of the Russian House of Pilgrims on the Holy Land on the river Jordan will lead to a considerable growth in number of pilgrims from Russia. (The official ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone of the Russian House of Pilgrims took place on 24th March 2008. See the article of 24/03/2008 about the event.)

The Baptism of Christ Complex is being constructed by ‘StroytransGas’, plc. on the instructions of the Russian Federation President’s Business Affairs Administration. The Complex includes a temple building with the living quarters (sixty double rooms), a refectory and a house for the guests of honour. The pilgrims from Russia will be able to go to the Complex year-round.

Opria A.Y., Chief Construction Project Engineer, showed the building site of the Russian House of Pilgrims, reported the progress of construction works and fixed the provisional date of the startup of the Complex (31/12/2009).

The matters concerning the possible collaboration of the Baptism of Christ Complex with the RJBC Commission for Tourism, Culture, Religion and Coordination with Public Organizations in the area of the popularization of the Baptism of Christ sacred place and the development of the pilgrimage tourism were also on the carpet at the meeting.