Jordan will the Pope's first stop, in his three day visit to the Holy Land. He will only be there for a day, but he will have a packed schedule. ;
On Saturday May 24th, he will board a plane to Amman, which is the capital of the country. About 45 minutes later, King Abdullah II and his wife will welcome Pope Francis in the royal palace, where they will meet in private. The Pope will then give a speech addressed to Jordanian authorities. ;
At four o clock, Pope Francis will celebrate Mass at the Amman International Stadium, where more than 50,000 people are expected. It's here that 1,400 children will receive their First Communion. ;
One of the most anticipated meetings in that country will be at roughly 7 o clock, when the Pope will meet with refugees and disabled youths in Bethany, where Jesus was Baptized. ;
Jordan is a country where Muslims and Christians have a long history of co-existence. It also welcomes thousands of refugees from neighboring countries. More than likely, the Pope will highlight this religious co-existence as an example for other neighboring countries.
The Pope is expected to make a call for peace and to defend the rights of Christians in the Middle East, since as a minority they often face discrimination. ;
PM/KLH ;
RR
VM
-BN
Up: YJA ;
