King receives Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All East

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday received Patriarch Youssef Absi, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East.

During the meeting—attended by Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Hussein and Prince Ghazi, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy—His Majesty emphasised the importance of protecting the Christian presence in the Middle East, a Royal Court statement said.

The King reaffirmed Jordan’s readiness to support Syria’s efforts to preserve its security, stability, and the rights of all components of Syrian society.

For his part, Patriarch Absi noted the importance of the Hashemite Custodianship over Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, praising Jordan’s role in standing by Palestinians and His Majesty’s role in protecting the presence of Eastern Christians and defending their holy sites and churches, the statement said.

He said Jordan is a role model for coexistence and respect for Christian communities, noting His Majesty’s efforts in promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding through the Amman Message, “A Common Word”, and World Interfaith Harmony Week initiatives.

Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh and heads of the Melkite Greek Catholic churches in Jordan, Jerusalem, and Lebanon attended the meeting.