VATICAN, Apr. 10, 01 (FIDES/CWNews.com) - "The Great Jubilee Year has officially ended." That announcement was made by Archbishop George Al-Murr of the Greek Melkite Catholic Archdiocese of Petra and Philadelphia, after a service held at the site of the Baptism of Jesus Christ on the banks of the River Jordan.
The April 6 ceremony occurred at the spot where Pope John Paul II formally began his historic Jubilee pilgrimage to the Holy Land on March 21, 2000. More than 3,000 Christians from Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and elsewhere participated in the ceremony.
Archbishop Al-Murr pointed out that the site on the Jordan River is "sacred for all Christians." And the April 6 ceremony was an ecumenical event, with the Armenian Orthodox Archbishop of Jordan participating, and a number of Jordanian government ministers in attendance. Archbishop Al-Murr later told the FIDES news service that although the Jubilee year had ended, the new millennium offers an opportunity and a challenge for all believers to be truly united in Christian solidarity.
The site of Jesus' baptism is an important shrine for Christian pilgrims, and the government-in an effort to encourage visits-has committed to developing the site. A new facility to accommodate tourists and pilgrims will open there this summer, and organizers expect about 5,000 visitors each year.
Catholic World News Service - Vatican Update
10. april 2001