Over the past years, Hungary has played a key role in supporting several projects conducted by the Catholic Church across the Kingdom.
The support extended by the Hungarian embassy has been nonpareil, invaluable, and highly appreciated.
On Monday, June 21, the Latin Vicariate in Amman hosted a banquet in honor of Hungary’s Ambassador to Jordan Csaba Czibere marking the conclusion of his term of duty in the Kingdom.
During the banquet, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan Bishop William Shomali thanked the friendly State of Hungary for the unstinting efforts it has been exerting in supporting the institutions of the Latin Patriarchate operating in Jordan, and for its generous contribution to completing the construction of the Jesus Christ Baptism Church at the Baptism Site.
For his part, Ambassador Czibere, who concluded his six-year term in Jordan, thanked the Latin Patriarchate for the sublime cooperation with the embassy of Hungary, and for accepting invitations to participate in international conferences convening in the Hungarian capital, Budapest. He also prided himself in working in Jordan which is characterized for a 100 years by moderation, stability, and harmony.
In attendance were Charge d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in Amman Monsignor Mauro Lalli, General secretary of the Latin Vicariate in Amman Fr. Imad Alamat, Director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan Fr. Dr. Rif’at Bader, Director of Caritas Jordan Mr. Wa’el Suleiman, Deacon Jubran Salameh, and Director of the “Hungary Helps” Program Tu’meh Jbarah.
AID PRESENTED BY HUNGARY
Hungary’s support has been enormous in the past years. Yet, it is important to mention some of the landmarks in Hungary’s aid. The embassy of Hungary in Amman announced earlier that Hungary had donated $1.3 million for several community projects across Jordan. These projects, implemented in cooperation with Churches and Caritas Jordan, include contributing to the construction of a Latin Church at the Baptism Site and a new church for the Melkite community in Amman.
Furthermore, the Hungarian embassy in Amman inaugurated the renovated heating system of the school and the kindergarten of the Latin Parish Church of Marka. The project was funded by Hungary Helps, a government aid program.
In the field of education, a Hungarian-sponsored scholarship program has also offered Jordanians 400 spots annually since 2014 to study at a Hungarian universities, bearing in mind that Jordanians form the largest group of international students currently enrolled in the program, with 741 Jordanian students currently studying in Hungary.
Furthermore, marking the consolidated relations between the Catholic Church and Hungary as well as Hungary’s national day of the feast of King St. Stephen on August 20, 2019, Hungarian President János Áder awarded Bishop William Shomali, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan, with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary. The state decoration was conferred by Ambassador Csaba Czibere in a special ceremony at the Hungarian Embassy in Amman.
The Catholic Church in the Holy Land pays tribute and conveys appreciation to Hungary for its invaluable support. It is hoped that the firm ties and mutual cooperation will be further corroborated in the future so as to bring about fruitful results for Christians in Jordan as well as for cementing peace and common living in the region.
By Munir Bayouk
Source: en.abouna.org
