Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil arrives in Jordan

Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil and the church delegation he is leading have arrived in Jordan, accompanied by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, the Bulgarian Patriarchate said on Facebook.

Patriarch Daniil was personally welcomed by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, chief adviser to King Abdullah II on religious and cultural affairs.The first stop on the pilgrimage was the cave traditionally associated with St John the Baptist, where he is believed to have lived as an ascetic.

The two patriarchs and the church delegation sang the troparion of the Theophany and the kontakion of St John the Baptist.

• Patriarch Daniil visits Jerusalem, set to meet Jordan’s King Abdullah II
• Patriarch Daniil leads Bulgarian Orthodox Church delegation to the Holy Land

They also visited the hill of St Elijah, from where, according to the biblical account, the prophet ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire. An Orthodox monastery was later built on the site.

Patriarch Daniil’s visit to Jordan will continue until September 30.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova