Madaba, Sept. 29 (Petra) – Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of
Sofia Daniil visited the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ (Al-Maghtas) on
Monday as part of a pilgrimage to Christian holy sites and a visit to
the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Daniil was accompanied by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and
the accompanying patriarchal delegation.

Upon their arrival at the Baptism Site after entering Jordan through
the King Hussein Border Crossing, the two patriarchs were received by
His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Chief Adviser to His
Majesty the King for Religious and Cultural Affairs and His Majesty’s
Personal Envoy, in the presence of Greek Orthodox Archbishop of
Jordan Christophoros.

Prince Ghazi accompanied the visiting patriarch and delegation on a
tour that included the site of Mar Elias, the spring and cave of St.
John the Baptist, the Church of St. Mary of Egypt, and other
religious and historical landmarks in the area.

The Bulgarian patriarch visited the Jordan River at the Baptism Site,
while the two patriarchs toured the Baptism Site International
Orthodox University and received a briefing on its facilities and
academic programs.

The visit came as part of ecclesiastical relations between the Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
and included several sites associated with Christian pilgrimage in
Jordan.

//Petra// AO