Eastern Orthodoxy in Jordan refers to adherents, communities and institutions of
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canonical ...
in
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
. Within ecclesiastical order of the Eastern Orthodox Church, communities of Eastern Orthodox Christians in Jordan belong mainly to jurisdiction of the
Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, el, Πατριαρχεῖον Ἱεροσολύμων, ''Patriarcheîon Hierosolýmōn;'' he, הפטריארכיה היוונית-אורתודוקסית של ירושלים; ar, كنيسة الرو ...
, and partially to the
Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch.
The Jordanian Eastern Orthodox Christians are believed to number 120,000, most of whom are Arabic speaking or by some accounts more than 300,000.
There are currently 29 Eastern Orthodox churches – with that number on the increase – which come under the
Jerusalem Patriarchate.
Most of the Greek Orthodox Christians live in
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 as of 2021, Amman is ...
and surrounding areas.
The Jerusalem Patriarchate has become known in the past for its
pan-Arab
Pan-Arabism ( ar, الوحدة العربية or ) is an ideology that espouses the unification of the countries of North Africa and Western Asia from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea, which is referred to as the Arab world. It is closely c ...
orientation, possibly because it exists in various parts of the
Arab world
The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western A ...
. Converts from Islam to Christianity risk the loss of civil rights.
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
and the Gregorian calendar New Year are recognized holidays in Jordan.
The two predominantly Orthodox towns are
Fuheis
Fuheis ( ar, الفحيص) is a Christian majority town in the central Jordanian governorate of Balqa. It lies in Wadi Shueib between Salt and Amman, at a distance of 6 and 13 kilometers respectively. It has an elevation between 740-1050 meter ...
and
Al Husn.
See also
References
Sources
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{{Asia topic, Eastern Orthodoxy in