Pope Benedict XVI left Amman on May 11th at the end of a 4-day visit to the Kingdom which started his pilgrimage to the Holy Lands.

The Pontiff was seen off at the Queen Alia International Airport by Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania as well as by high ranking officials and Islamic and Christian figures.

The highlight of the Pope’s pilgrimage was at the Baptism Site on the eastern banks of the River Jordan, where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist. Pope Benedict, accompanied by the King and Queen, was briefed on the Site and the important archaeological finds that prompted the Vatican to recognize it as the official Baptism Site during Pope John Paul II’s visit and pilgrimage in 2000. The Pope later blessed the foundation stone of the Latin and the Greek Melkite Churches currently under construction at the Site which the Pope said was visited through the centuries by many pilgrims who “have come to Jordan to seek purification, renew their faith, and draw closer to the Lord.”

Earlier, Pope Benedict led an historic Sunday mass at the Amman Stadium where he called for the advancement of a culture of true humanity and the building of the civilization of love. Almost 50,000 people attended the mass including some who travelled from neighboring Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Also among the audience were Muslims who attended the mass along with their Christian friends, whose presence reflected the essence of tolerance and coexistence, a message that Jordan boasts and has been promoting.

The Pope’s itinerary in the Jordanian capital included a visit to the King Hussein Ben Talal Mosque, where he met with Muslims and Christian religious leaders and scholars. In his remarks at the mosque, the Pope said “Muslim and Christian cooperation in Jordan sets an example to the region and the rest of the world.”

This was the third time in history that a Pope visits an Islamic mosque.

At the start of his visit, the Pope visited the Amman-based Lady of Peace Centre for persons with disabilities, and blessed the cornerstone of Madaba University. He also paid a visit to the Mount Nebo Church (marking the spot where Moses first saw the Holy Land), where he announced the start of his pilgrimage.

Jordan’s King Abdullah had earlier welcomed the Pontiff and urged commitment to mutual respect between faiths and cultures. The King also called for a new global dialogue based on understanding and goodwill, and rejected the voices of provocation and ambitious ideologies of division who threaten unspeakable suffering.

The 4-day trip generated a wide media interest, in which 1400 journalists from Jordan and all over the world followed the details and updates of the Pope’s activities as well as relevant stories throughout Jordan. Despite the prevailing interest in Jordan’s biblical sites (including 5 Christian pilgrimage locations), many visiting journalists used their time in Jordan to visit some of the country’s countless touristic marvels including Petra, one of the world’s wonders.