MAJOR PROGRESS REPORTED IN BUILDING JORDAN’S BAPTISM SITE
CCTV
Aug 20 2008
China
AMMAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) — Jordan’s tourist authorities has made major
headway in efforts to build the Baptism Site, where Jesus was said
to be baptized, into a global pilgrimage destination, local daily
The Jordan Times reported on Wednesday.
"The infrastructure work for the Russian Pilgrimage House, the Roman
Catholic Church on the east bank of the Jordan River as well as the
Greek Orthodox monastery have been completed and others are on track
as planned," Baptism Site Commission Director Dia Madani said.
At least five more churches representing various Christian
denominations are set to be established this year, including the
Coptic, Armenian, Syrian and Ethiopian churches, according to Madani.
"Once the churches are built and monks and priests settle in, the
entire concept of the site will be transformed from a historically
important site to a leading destination for Christian pilgrimage,"
Madani said, adding that the site will be open 20 hours a day and
offer facilities for pilgrims who choose to spend the night.
According to the official, the site is growing steadily in prominence
among tourists and pilgrims, citing figures that tourist arrivals
has climbed to 108,000 in the first seven months of this year, an
increase of 99 percent from a year ago.
The official expects the site to attract up to half-a-million visitors
annually in three years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
