The Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which has jurisdiction over the Holy Land, on July 31 made public explanations regarding publications on the websites of the Russian Church Mission in Jerusalem and the Moscow Patriarchate as to the construction of the so-called Russian Pilgrimage Center in the Jordan Valley to the east of the place of Baptism of the Lord.
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which has jurisdiction over the Holy Land, on July 31 explainded publications on the websites of the Russian Church Mission in Jerusalem and the Moscow Patriarchate about the construction of the so-called Russian Pilgrimage Center in the Jordan Valley to the east of the place of Baptism of the Lord, the News Portal of Jerusalem Patriarchate reported.
According to the publications, the center is being built on the land ceded by the Jordanian government to the Russian Federation in February 2007 during the official visit of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Jordan. In March 2008, a memorial stone was laid at the sight. The opening of the center is scheduled for next autumn.
The Secretariat of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem reminded that “in the beginning, the center was designed as a hotel for pilgrims without a church or chapel and not as a town residence, which would be noncanonical and would lead to a breach of the church and pilgrimage order and unity in Christ in the unity of peace,” reported Religion.in.ua.