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| Pope Francis arrives in Jordan for Middle East visit | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Pope Francis has arrived in Jordan at the start of a three-day visit to the Middle East which will also take him to Israel and the Palestinian territories. | |
| He is due to be welcomed by King Abdullah II. He will celebrate Mass in a stadium in Amman before later meeting Syrian refugees. | |
| The official purpose of the visit is to improve ties with the Orthodox Church. | The official purpose of the visit is to improve ties with the Orthodox Church. |
| But correspondents say many will expect Pope Francis to use his influence to try to ease tensions in the region. | But correspondents say many will expect Pope Francis to use his influence to try to ease tensions in the region. |
| Restraining orders | Restraining orders |
| The Pope will be accompanied by a rabbi and an imam - friends from his native Argentina - and hopes to improve relations between Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Holy Land. | The Pope will be accompanied by a rabbi and an imam - friends from his native Argentina - and hopes to improve relations between Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Holy Land. |
| His journey comes only a few weeks after the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed. | His journey comes only a few weeks after the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed. |
| Israel has issued restraining orders against several Jewish right-wing activists this week over concerns that they could try to disrupt the visit. | Israel has issued restraining orders against several Jewish right-wing activists this week over concerns that they could try to disrupt the visit. |
| Police said offensive "anti-Christian graffiti" was discovered on the wall of a church in the southern city of Beersheba on Friday. | Police said offensive "anti-Christian graffiti" was discovered on the wall of a church in the southern city of Beersheba on Friday. |
| The Pope's journey marks the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting in Jerusalem between Pope Paul VI and the head of the Orthodox Church, Patriarch Athenagoras. | The Pope's journey marks the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting in Jerusalem between Pope Paul VI and the head of the Orthodox Church, Patriarch Athenagoras. |
| The meeting ended 900 years of separation and enduring antagonism between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity. | The meeting ended 900 years of separation and enduring antagonism between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity. |
| On Sunday, Pope Francis will travel to Bethlehem in the West Bank and preside over Mass in Manger Square, near the site where Jesus is believed to have been born. | On Sunday, Pope Francis will travel to Bethlehem in the West Bank and preside over Mass in Manger Square, near the site where Jesus is believed to have been born. |
| He will also meet the current Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch, Bartholomew, and they will sign a declaration of friendship. | He will also meet the current Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch, Bartholomew, and they will sign a declaration of friendship. |
| His schedule on Monday is set to include a visit to the al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem's Old City followed by the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall. | His schedule on Monday is set to include a visit to the al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem's Old City followed by the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall. |
| Pope Francis will be the fourth leader of the Roman Catholic Church to visit Jerusalem, after Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who went there in 2009. | Pope Francis will be the fourth leader of the Roman Catholic Church to visit Jerusalem, after Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who went there in 2009. |