The Orthodox Church of Jerusalem is preparing to celebrate the 2,000th anniversary of the Baptism of the Lord

The Orthodox Church of Jerusalem has officially begun extensive preparations for the celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of the Baptism of the Lord, which will take place in 2030 on the Jordan River. The decision to begin organizational work was made during a meeting of the Synod chaired by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem.

Members of the Holy Synod emphasized that the Jordan River is a sacred site where the mystery of the Holy Trinity was revealed and where the Savior was baptized. In this regard, the Church intends to hold celebratory events at the highest level, befitting the sanctity of this historic event. The hierarchs expressed special gratitude to King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein of Jordan for his support and for instructing the country’s government to give the necessary attention to the preparations for the celebrations.

The central project as part of these preparations will be the opening of the International Orthodox University directly at the site of Christ’s Baptism. The institution, which has received royal patronage, is intended—according to Patriarch Theophilos III’s vision—to become an important intellectual center for the dissemination of Eastern theology and the strengthening of intercultural dialogue. It is worth noting that Jordan has already confirmed its readiness to invest $120 million in developing the infrastructure of this sacred site.