Jordanian Interior Minister Participates in Midnight Mass at the Nativity Church

SadaNews: Representing King Abdullah II, Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen Al-Farayeh participated in midnight mass at the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, on the occasion of the Christmas holiday for Christian denominations that follow the Western calendar.

The mass was attended by Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh, representing President Mahmoud Abbas, along with several Palestinian political figures, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, and diplomats from around the world.

Patriarch of Jerusalem, Jordan, and the Holy Land Pierre Batista Pizzaballa delivered the sermon during the midnight mass at St. Catherine's Church (Nativity Church), where he called for peace, love, and tolerance among humanity to live in safety, security, and prosperity. He urged followers of the three religions to lean towards faith, love, peace, and tolerance instead of hatred, malice, and conflict.

At the beginning of his sermon, Patriarch Pizzaballa thanked His Majesty the King and his representative, Minister Al-Farayeh, for their attendance at this great occasion, appreciating the King’s positions and efforts in helping the people of Gaza and his ongoing support for Christian and Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem.

He affirmed in his sermon that the light of Bethlehem will not be extinguished and will remain a beacon of love, tolerance, and peace, calling on everyone in the world and the region to work to stop wars, conflicts, and disputes, and to take responsibility for establishing peace and ending the suffering of the people of Gaza and their children, who have faced hunger, fear, sorrow, and calamities over recent days, months, and years.

For his part, Minister Al-Farayeh conveyed the greetings and congratulations of His Majesty the King and His Highness Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II, Crown Prince, to the Christian denominations in Palestine on the occasion of Christmas, wishing them a year filled with love, security, and peace.

Al-Farayeh confirmed, during the official Christmas dinner held at the Franciscan Monastery in Bethlehem with the presence of the head of the Palestinian Presidential Committee for Church Affairs Ramzi Khoury, Patriarch Pizzaballa, Christian figures in Bethlehem, Muslim religious leaders, political officials, and the Jordanian ambassador to Palestine, Issam Al-Badour, which took place before the midnight mass, the strength of the historical and brotherly relations that unite the Jordanian and Palestinian peoples, emphasizing the importance of Hashemite guardianship over Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem.

Minister Al-Farayeh stressed the ongoing role of His Majesty the King in supporting the authentic Christian presence in all the holy Palestinian territories, solidifying the approach of coexistence among the unified Palestinian people, reiterating the significance of Hashemite guardianship over Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem and supporting the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land, especially in occupied Jerusalem, in facing practices aimed at altering its Arab Christian and Islamic features.

He highlighted the necessity of enhancing the steadfastness of Jerusalemites and intensifying efforts towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to the two-state solution that ensures the rights of the Palestinian people on their land through achieving just and comprehensive peace in the region.

On the sidelines of his participation in the midnight mass, Al-Farayeh met in Bethlehem with Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh, where he conveyed the greetings of His Majesty the King to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

During the meeting, Al-Farayeh congratulated the Palestinian people on the occasion of Christmas, reaffirming Jordan's steadfast positions in supporting the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people at all levels and in various fields.

For his part, Al-Sheikh expressed his deep appreciation for Jordan's steadfast positions in supporting the rights of the Palestinian people in various international forums.

Al-Sheikh briefed Minister Al-Farayeh on the latest developments related to the Palestinian cause amidst the ongoing assaults and violations by Israeli occupation forces, and the attacks by extremist settlers against the Palestinian people, their land, their properties, and their sanctities, emphasizing the importance of Hashemite guardianship over Islamic and Christian sanctities in occupied Jerusalem.