Eastern Orthodoxy in Jordan refers to adherents, communities and institutions of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Jordan.
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, and partially to the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch.[1]
In 2020, Christians made up 2.1% of the country's population;[2] of these, almost half (0.87%) were Orthodox Christian.
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.[3] In 2017 there were 29 Eastern Orthodox churches - with that number on the increase - which come under the Jerusalem Patriarchate.[3] Most of the Greek Orthodox Christians live in Amman and surrounding areas.[3] The Jerusalem Patriarchate has become known in the past for its pan-Arab orientation, possibly because it exists in various parts of the Arab world.
Converts from Islam to Christianity risk the loss of civil rights.[1] Christmas and the Gregorian calendar New Year are recognized holidays in Jordan.[1]
In 2022, the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox and Syrian Orthodox churches are all recognised by the Jordanian government.[4]
The two predominantly Orthodox towns are Fuheis and Al Husn.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c "US State Dept 2009 report on Jordan". Archived from the original on 31 October 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ The ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-28
- ^ a b c "An Insight into the Greek-Orthodox Community of Jordan / OrthoChristian.Com". Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ US State Dept 2022 report
Sources
edit- Corbon, Jean (1998). "The Churches of the Middle East: Their Origins and Identity, from their Roots in the Past to their Openness to the Present". Christian Communities in the Arab Middle East: The Challenge of the Future. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 92–110. ISBN 978-0-19-829388-0.
- Dick, Iganatios (2004). Melkites: Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholics of the Patriarchates of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem. Roslindale, MA: Sophia Press. Archived from the original on 2023-06-08. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
- Grillmeier, Aloys; Hainthaler, Theresia (2013). Christ in Christian Tradition: The Churches of Jerusalem and Antioch from 451 to 600. Vol. 2/3. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-921288-0.
- Hohmann, Gregory (2000). "Loyalty to the Emperor and Change of Rite: What Induced the Melkite Church to Exchange the Syrian for the Byzantine Tradition". The Harp. 13: 49–56. doi:10.31826/9781463233013-008. ISBN 9781463233013.
- Kennedy, Hugh N. (2000). "The Early Development of Church Architecture in Syria and Jordan, c. 300–c. 750". The Holy Land, Holy Lands, and Christian History. Woodbridge: Suffolk: Boydell Press. pp. 1–33. ISBN 9780952973355.
- Meyendorff, John (1989). Imperial unity and Christian divisions: The Church 450-680 A.D. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press. ISBN 9780881410563.
- Ostrogorsky, George (1956). History of the Byzantine State. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
- Panchenko, Constantin A. (2021). Orthodoxy and Islam in the Middle East: The Seventh to the Sixteenth Centuries. Jordanville, NY: Holy Trinity Publications. ISBN 9781942699330.
- Roussos, Sotiris (2010). "Eastern Orthodox Christianity in the Middle East". Eastern Christianity in the Modern Middle East. London-New York: Routledge. pp. 107–119. ISBN 9781135193713.