MADABA - With ongoing renovations on the Moses Memorial Church, special preparations are being made to facilitate the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Mount Nebo, organisers said on Wednesday.
According to Franciscan Brother Fabian of the Franciscan Archaeological Institute, during his May 10 visit, Pope Benedict will be provided with a platform to gaze over the promised land as Moses is believed to have done.
The Pope will also be given a tour of the delicate and intricate renovation going on at the site and bless the work on the church, which dates back to the 4th century and hosts a series of intricate mosaics.
His predecessor, the late Pope John Paul II, recognised the site in a landmark visit in 2000.
In the upcoming papal visit, scheduled May 8-12, Pope Benedict is also expected to visit the Baptism Site and King Hussein Ben Talal Mosque, and to hold an outdoor mass at Amman Stadium in Sports City.
According to Fabian, Italian engineers are set to meet at the church later this month to determine the course of the restoration work, adding that the institute is awaiting shipments of materials from Italy for the structure's roof.
The church's renovation is expected to be completed and opened to tourists by the end of this year, he noted.
In the 4th century, an old building on the highest part of the mountain, known as Siyagha, was converted by early Christians into a church to commemorate Moses' resting place.
The Franciscans became custodians of the site in 1932 and archaeological work, which began in 1933, and extensive campaigns have since excavated the church and brought Mount Nebo to the forefront of tourist destinations.
Temporary roofing was built around the excavated church in 1963, but instability due to soil movement raised concerns among conservationists that the structure could no longer last in its current form.
Renovations are expected to bring about a new, more durable facility in line with the historical and religious purposes of the site, resulting in a church closer to the design of the original structure.
The renovations were designed under the vision of the late Father Michele Piccirillo, archaeologist and preservationist of Christian sites around the region, who was laid to rest at Mount Nebo late last year.
By Taylor Luck
© Jordan Times 2009
