Is this due to the fact that the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Eminence Fouad Twal, is Jordanian?
Without doubt… (editor’s note: the Custodian smiles). There are also deeper reasons. One the one hand, the majority of Catholics of the diocese of the Holy Land reside in Jordan. And since this visit is a pastoral one, it is normal that it should be devoted to parishioners. On the other hand, the Jordanian regime strengthens the Christian presence. The Royal house greatly encourages inter-faith relations and many Christian projects. Some people fear the politicization of the Pope’s visit. What is your view on this? The Holy See, and the local Church emphasize the spiritual dimension of the visit, but there is no doubt that it also has a political dimension. This visit has three dimensions: spiritual-pastoral, inter-faith and diplomatic. The Pope is a head of state, he is also the head of the Catholic Church, which is the biggest church in the world, and this is of consequence. Certain speeches will be the object of political interpretations. However, the Pope himself has no political i
