In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
With great spiritual joy and a profound sense of responsibility towards our faithful, we present to you today the project for the construction of the Church of Saints Paisios, Sophronius, and Porphyrios in the Umm al-Kundum area on Airport Road. This project is not merely a building of stone and cement, but a living continuation of the journey of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem in Jordan, and its pastoral and national mission, which it has carried for centuries on this blessed land.
Throughout its history, the Church has taught us that saints are not just figures of the past, but a living presence in the lives of believers, shining examples guiding us on the path of holiness and steadfastness in Christ. Hence, the selection of Saints Paisios the Athonite,
Sophronius of Jerusalem, and Porphyrios the Seer as patron saints of this blessed church, to stand as a living testament to the richness of the Orthodox heritage and its continuity across generations.
Saint Paisios represents the spirit of love, sacrifice, and complete reliance on God’s providence, and Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, reminds us of the faithfulness of the Church of Jerusalem and its preservation of the Orthodox faith throughout the ages.
Saint Porphyrios embodies the image of the shepherd, full of grace, wisdom, and spiritual fatherhood toward contemporary humanity. The church will be built with three sanctuaries, each bearing the name of one of these saints, so that their spiritual presence may remain alive in the lives of the faithful, and so that they may be intercessors and guardians of this holy house and all its members.
We pray that this church will become a true spiritual beacon, a place where humanity encounters God, where the faithful are nourished by the sacraments and teachings of the Holy Church, and where they draw from the experience of the saints who illuminated the path to holiness in modern and contemporary times.
The Orthodox Church in Jordan has never been merely a religious institution that performs rituals, but has always been and remains a nurturing mother to her children, accompanying them in their joys and sorrows, serving them spiritually, socially, and nationally, and contributing to the building of both the individual and society. For decades, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Jordan has carried the message of service, care, and education, and has been an integral partner in serving and developing Jordanian society, and in consolidating the values of citizenship, love, belonging, and coexistence.
From this perspective, this project comes in response to a genuine pastoral need imposed by the nature of population growth and urban expansion witnessed in the capital, Amman, and the migration of many Orthodox families from various governorates to the capital, and from the eastern neighborhoods of the capital to its urban extensions in the west and south. This has made the need urgent for a new church center to serve our people, gather them around the altar of the Lord, and preserve their connection to their church, their faith, and their spiritual heritage.
On this occasion, we extend our sincere thanks, appreciation, and gratitude to the Orthodox Cultural and Educational Society, a venerable national Orthodox institution and pioneer in spiritual revival and education, which generously donated the land to be registered in the name of their Patriarchate, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, thus laying the foundation stone for this blessed project. This noble initiative reflects the deep commitment of the Church’s members to their faith and embodies the spirit of giving, responsibility, and true partnership in serving Christ’s mission in this blessed land.
We also call upon our faithful in Jordan and throughout the diaspora to participate in this blessed endeavor, each according to their means, for building the Church is not the responsibility of an individual, a family, or a single institution, but rather a collective responsibility and a spiritual opportunity shared by all. Every contribution, no matter how small, becomes a brick in the house of God, a prayer rising with every Mass celebrated, with every child learning the true Orthodox faith, with every young person finding their roots and identity in the Church, and with every family finding in it their spiritual home and source of comfort and hope.
Supporting this project is not merely about erecting a new building; it is an investment in the future of the Christian presence in this blessed land, and a strengthening of our children’s connection to their roots, faith, and heritage. The church we are building today is a living testament to the continuity of the Christian mission in the East, and to the commitment of its people to remain in their homelands and serve their communities. Every contribution to this project is, in essence, a contribution to solidifying the authentic Christian presence in Jordan and the Holy Land, and to supporting its people so they may remain witnesses to Christ and the Gospel message in the land sanctified by the footsteps of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, from which the Good News of salvation spread to the whole world.
In conclusion, we express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, the Hashemite Custodian of the Islamic and Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem, to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II, and to all relevant state institutions, for their constant care, attention, and support of churches and Christian institutions, and for the facilities and assistance they provide, reflecting the bright image of Jordan as a nation of coexistence, love, mutual respect, and the preservation of religious freedoms.
The stone laid today in the foundation of this church will not only be a building block, but also a symbol of hope for future generations, and a renewed testament that the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, the “Mother of Churches,” will remain present in this blessed land, praying, serving, and bearing witness to Christ, and opening its doors to every person seeking God, love, and peace.
We ask God to bless this project, to strengthen all those working on and supporting it, and to grant us the grace to soon see this holy house standing tall in service to its children, with prayers and hymns rising from its three altars, the name of God glorified within it, and the message of the Holy Church continuing through it from generation to generation.
Your well-wisher
+ Metropolitan Christophoros
Metropolitan of Jordan for the Greek Orthodox