Jordan to Mark 2,000 Years Since the Baptism of Jesus Christ

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Did you know that 2030, just 4 years from now, will mark 2,000 years since the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist at the present-day Al-Maghtas in Jordan?

On Aug. 10, 2026, Jordan's Prime Minister Jafar Hassan August hosted the first National Committee for the Preparation of the “Second Millennium of the Baptism of Jesus Christ.” Together with pastors, community leaders, and representatives of religious organizations, the members discussed the need for preparations and extensive future planning. 

This committee included the Jordanian Prime Minister, Ministers of Government Communication, Interior, Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and Tourism and Antiquities, as well as “Bishop Christophoros Atallah, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Jordan; Archbishop Dr. Iyad Twal, Latin Patriarchal Vicar in Jordan; Archbishop Hossam Naoum, Anglican Archbishop; Bishop Munib Younan, former Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Baptism Site Development Foundation; the Director General of the Baptism Site Commission; the Director General of the Jordan Tourism Board; Nadim Al-Mauasher; Osama Imseeh; and Basem Farraj.”

According to Hassan, these practices are in line with his directives from His Majesty King Abdullah II, “put forward by the Council of Church Leaders in Jordan.”

As explained by Hassan, choosing to commemorate this second millennium of the baptism of Jesus represents Jordan’s core values: “[These actions] reflect Jordan's historical and religious standing and its role as a global destination for Christian pilgrimage, while highlighting the Kingdom's message of coexistence, respect for others, peace, love and human fraternity.”

To date, all local governments are on board with the planning, mobilizing all available resources to support the upcoming occasion. This celebration, according to Hassan, “[is] an opportunity to reinforce Jordan's position as a land of religious heritage and a global destination for Christian pilgrims.”

During the meeting, plans were discussed to implement several projects: a village for visitors, a museum, a green corridor, and infrastructure upgrades. Collectively, these projects are estimated to cost $120 million. 

According to Premier Christian News, “Work on the museum and pilgrim village is expected to begin in 2027, with the projects scheduled for completion in early 2029.” Kurdistan News adds that the developments are planned to increase the number of annual visitors from around 200,000 to 1 million.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Christopher-Sprake

Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.