His Majesty King Abdullah, accompanied by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, on Wednesday at Al Husseiniya Palace, received Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who is in Jordan to participate in the Amman Gathering of the Orthodox Primates and Delegates on Dialogue and Unity.



During the meeting—attended by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy—King Abdullah noted Jordan’s strong ties with Russia, under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, commending the increase in the number of Christian pilgrims from Russia to holy sites and the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ, also known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan.



Moreover, His Majesty emphasised the importance of protecting the Christian presence in the region, stressing that Christians are an integral part of the Middle East’s social fabric and future.



The King underscored his commitment, as the Hashemite Custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, to continue to exert all efforts to safeguard these sites.



Adviser to His Majesty for Communication and Coordination Bisher Khasawneh, Adviser to His Majesty for Policies and Media Kemal Al Nasser, Russian Ambassador to Jordan Gleb Desyatnikov, and the accompanying delegation attended the meeting.