In February 2025, the Vatican Museums will host a landmark exhibition, "Jordan: The Dawn of Christianity." This collection of over 90 carefully curated artifacts highlights Jordan’s enduring legacy as a cradle of Christianity, bridging millennia of history and cultural heritage.

The exhibition is the result of collaboration between Jordan’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Jordan Tourism Board, and the Vatican. It commemorates 30 years of diplomatic relations between Jordan and the Holy See, aligning with the Jubilee Year theme, “Pilgrims of Hope.”

(Photo credit: ACI MENA/CNA)

This event also marks a historic milestone: the 60th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1964, the first papal journey to the region since Saint Peter. This groundbreaking visit signaled a new era for Christianity and Christian pilgrimages in the Middle East.

Jordan has the unique distinction of hosting four papal visits: Pope Paul VI in 1964, Pope John Paul II in 2000, Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, and Pope Francis in 2014. Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso, Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan, underscored this connection, noting, “One of the first modern papal journeys outside Italy was Pope Paul VI’s landing in Amman in 1964 to visit the Holy Land. Jordan is a biblical land, integral to the Holy Land due to the events that occurred here.”

(Pope Francis at Bethany Beyond the Jordan standing by the Jordan River in 2014)

A Virtual Pilgrimage

The exhibition, designed as a traveling showcase, will debut in St. Peter’s Basilica before embarking on a global tour across five continents. During its time in Rome, visitors will embark on an extraordinary virtual pilgrimage to some of Jordan’s most significant Christian heritage sites.

(Photo credit: ACI MENA/CNA)

The exhibition features significant locations such as Tell Mar Elias, recognized as the birthplace of the prophet Elijah; Our Lady of the Mountain Church, a Marian sanctuary; Machaerus, known as the site of John the Baptist’s martyrdom; and Al-Maghtas (Bethany Beyond the Jordan), where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Many of these archaeological treasures are being exhibited outside Jordan for the first time, underscoring their universal importance. Lina Annab, Jordan’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, described the exhibition as part of a broader effort to present Jordan’s shared Christian and Islamic heritage, celebrating the civilizations that have flourished there. 

The exhibition includes exquisite mosaics, early Christian symbols, and relics that reflect centuries of intertwining faith and culture. It traces the evolution of Christianity from the baptism of Christ through the Byzantine era, the rise of Islamic civilizations, and into the modern Hashemite period.

Promoting Religious Tourism in Jordan

This event also serves as an invitation to explore Jordan’s spiritual and cultural treasures, showcasing its role as a model of coexistence and mutual appreciation in the Arab world.

Abdulrazzaq Arabiyat, Director of the Jordan Tourism Board, emphasized the potential of such initiatives to position Jordan as a leading pilgrimage destination while fostering interfaith understanding.

At the Rome press event, Minister Annab stated, “What divides humanity is minuscule compared to what unites us: love, peace, justice, and compassion.” She highlighted King Abdullah II’s role as custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, ensuring their preservation for future generations.

This exhibition not only celebrates Jordan’s rich Christian heritage but also reinforces its message of unity and dialogue, inviting the world to discover the unique crossroads of history, culture, and spirituality that define this remarkable land.