In a moment of historical importance for Christians in the Middle East, King Abdullah II of Jordan and Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem today inaugurated a new university, the Baptism Site International Orthodox University.
This new institution of Higher education, the first of its kind, is located at Al-Maghtas, the sacred baptism site on the eastern bank of the Jordan River recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 2015.
Described by its founders as Jordan’s first Christian university, the institution rises upon the very ground where Christian tradition holds that Our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized by Saint John the Baptist. Conceived not merely as a theological seminary, but as a modern interdisciplinary university, it is devoted to the humanities, ethical leadership, historical scholarship, cultural engagement, and the formation of future generations equipped to serve a region in urgent need of wisdom, tolerance, moral clarity, and courageous leadership.
In the presence of members of the Royal Family, all Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem, senior state officials, diplomats, clergy, scholars, and distinguished guests representing diverse Christian traditions and different religious communities, His Beatitude offered thanksgiving to Almighty God and affirmed that this sacred undertaking answers a profound need in our region to unite spiritual depth with intellectual excellence, faith with scholarship, and inherited truth with responsible service to humanity.
The Patriarch paid tribute to His Majesty’s historic custodianship of Christian and Muslim Holy Places, affirming the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as a living pillar of Christian presence, interreligious dignity, and responsible stewardship in a region burdened by conflict, fragmentation, and spiritual displacement.
Envisioned as a meeting place for scholars, religious leaders, and young men and women from across the Middle East and beyond, the Baptism Site International Orthodox University is being established as a permanent center for academic excellence, Christian-Muslim dialogue, human encounter, and civilizational exchange between East and West.
Rooted in the sacred waters of Al-Maghtas, where the Holy Gospel records that “the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him,” the university now stands as an enduring witness that the land of revelation continues to inspire scholarship, leadership, dialogue, and service for generations yet to come.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem
