The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, has described last week's attack on the Church of Saint George in Hammoud, in Jordan's Al-Karak province, as a crime carried out by a small extremist fringe. In a statement to The Jerusalem Post, he called it "a heinous and cowardly act of violence perpetrated by a minority group of radicals who seek to intimidate and divide the community."
The patriarch, whose Patriarchate has a longstanding presence in Jordan, said the attack was meant to split the country's Christian community but had the opposite effect. According to him, it "strengthened the bonds of all Jordanians," who united to mourn the nine churchgoers killed on Friday. Around 40 people were wounded when gunmen opened fire on a funeral procession at the church.
Theophilos III said a gathering was held two days after the attack to remember those who died, comfort the bereaved and visit the injured. "This violence has only drawn our community closer together, deepened our roots in this land," he said.
He also met Jordan's King Abdullah II and other members of the royal family, who he said offered heartfelt condolences and commitments of support. The patriarch praised the king, whom he described as Custodian of the Muslim and Christian Holy Sites in the Holy Land, and the royal family for their leadership after what he called an evil attack.
Returning to Jerusalem, the patriarch said he was certain of two things: that Christians in the land will remain steadfast in their faith, and that Jordanian society as a whole is united against radicalism in all its forms. He said the attack "runs entirely contrary to the moderate Islam practiced in Jordan."
Theophilos III argued that the royal family's pledges of protection, offered in word and in deed, should serve as a model for the wider region, "where too many Christians live in intimidation and fear." For many in his community, he added, Jordan is home.
His comments come as Jordan balances its position as a close US ally and a Muslim-majority country with a significant Christian minority. A video that has spread widely online has highlighted tensions. In it, a Christian woman tells Jordan's minister of religious endowments that some Jordanians had told her mourning Christians was haram, or forbidden under Islamic law. The minister replied that anyone unwilling to mourn alongside Christians was an extremist, and that Christians were an integral part of Jordanian society.
Jordan is generally considered to offer a high level of religious freedom. Even so, the Christian charity Open Doors US has reported that Christians in the country often face discrimination in employment, government monitoring and restrictions on public preaching. The American organization also said the war in Gaza has fueled Islamic conservatism.
