His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Pope of the Vatican, at the Apostolic Palace on Tuesday.

His Majesty highlighted efforts to preserve Christian religious sites in Jordan, particularly the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ (Bethany Beyond the Jordan).

The meeting, which is the King’s first with Pope Leo XIV since his inauguration, focused on the close relations between Jordan and the Vatican, ways of cooperating to achieve peace, and promoting the values of tolerance and dialogue. 

His Majesty also invited Pope Leo XIV to visit the Baptism Site.

The King emphasised Jordan’s ongoing religious and historical role in caring for Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, under the Hashemite Custodianship, and warned of the dangers of Israeli attacks on these holy sites.

Speaking about the situation in Gaza, His Majesty underscored the need to ensure implementation of the agreement to end the war, and deliver sufficient relief aid to all areas of the Strip to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians.

The King noted that the only way to achieve peace and stability in the region is through the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, in order to bring prosperity to all peoples of the region.

The meeting—attended by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy—touched on joint efforts to achieve security and peace in the region and the world.