Quarrelling Over Jesus' Baptism Site

Is it or is it not?

Christian leaders in Jordan on Wednesday established “beyond doubt” that the  country hosts the holy site where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist  on the east bank of River Jordan.

They denied an Israeli claim that Jesus Christ was baptized on the west  bank of River Jordan at what had come to be called the Judith Church, which was  recently renamed as “Baptism Church” by the Israelis.

“There is no doubt that Jesus Christ had been baptised on the east bank  of River Jordan and that the site was honoured by Christians from the early days  of Christianity and still so until nowadays,” said a statement issued by leaders  of churches in Jordan.

They pointed out that they decided this fact in accordance with biblical  texts, Christian traditions, excavations as well as testimonies and writings by  many pilgrims who visited the area since the second century.

Similar remarks were issued on Monday by the Orthodox churches of the  East which met at the baptism site, about 25 miles west of Amman, in response to  an invitation by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem.

The Rev. Nabil Haddad, president of the Jordan Interfaith Coexistence  Research Centre, said during the meeting that all Christian religious leaders  considered Jordan’s baptism site as “the actual place where Christ was baptized,  which affirms its authenticity and refutes Israeli allegations that claim  otherwise”.

Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen Saket said earlier this week that the  baptism site was recognized by several top Christian leaders and historians.

He pointed out that the site was inaugurated by the late Pope John Paul  II in 2000 and was blessed by Pope Benedict XVI during his pilgrimage to the  Holy Land in 2009.

“We were shocked in Jordan to see the Israelis inaugurating a new site  on the west bank of River Jordan and naming it the Baptism Church despite  well-known historical and religious facts,” Saket said.

Jordan seems at pains to defend its site - which has more to do with tourism (or the fear of losing tourists) than it has to do with actual authenticity. If I was to be honest here, that baptism site was, for me, the only thing worth seeing in Jordan (oh and perhaps swimming in the Dead Sea on their side, which wasn’t too bad either). But not having to go there again would be an absolute pleasure. So if you can now get the whole ‘pilgrim’ experience thing in Israel, then it’s bad economic news for Jordan I’m afraid. And that’s what this little Jordanian rant is all about.

Here I am, there, last year:

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