Jerusalem: King of Jordan funds Church of Holy Sepulchre restoration

Source: Petra/LPJ

His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan has paid for the costs of restoration of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This week The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, All Palestine and Jordan, Theophilos III thanked the King on behalf of the entire Christian community of the Holy Land.

The King's gift came from the Templeton Prize, which he received last November. At the presentation ceremony in Washington DC, King Abdullah said a portion of the £1.1 million prize funds, would be used for restoration work in Jerusalem, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The King is renowned for his tireless work to promote peace and mutual respect both within Islam and between Islam and other religions. In his acceptance speech he said he was receiving the prize on behalf of all Jordanians, and reaffirmed the commitment to fight extremism, saying Islam is not about "cherry picking verses from the Koran to justify a political agenda."

In a statement from the Jordanian news agency Petra, Patriarch Theophilos said the donation reflects the King's personal commitment to the security and future of Jerusalem as guardian of Islamic and Christian holy places in the country.