Government expects millions of Christian pilgrims to visit the Holy Land in 2030
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel has begun preparations for the 2,000th anniversary of the baptism of Jesus Christ, a major Christian milestone expected to draw millions of pilgrims to the Holy Land in 2030.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the creation of a dedicated working group led by Ambassador George Deek, Israel’s Special Envoy to the Christian World. The group will coordinate with churches, Christian communities, religious leaders and Israeli government agencies ahead of the anniversary.
Sa’ar described 2030 as a “unique milestone for the Christian world,” adding that strengthening Israel’s relationship with Christians and maintaining access to biblical holy sites are among the government’s highest priorities.
The initiative is expected to include preparations at Qasr el-Yahud, the traditional baptism site on the western bank of the Jordan River. The site opened to pilgrims in 2011 after extensive efforts to remove land mines left from the 1967 Six-Day War.
Jordan is also upgrading facilities at Al-Maghtas, or Bethany Beyond the Jordan, located directly across the river. King Abdullah II has pledged to oversee preparations while preserving the sacred character of the site.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, said the baptism of Christ remains far more than a historical event.
“The baptism of Christ is not merely a historical memory but an eternal event that continues to speak to every believer,” Pizzaballa said.
Israel said the new working group will maintain ongoing dialogue with Christian leaders and launch a government-wide process to prepare for the anticipated arrival of millions of believers.
“Israel will continue to safeguard freedom of worship and access to holy sites for members of all faiths,” Sa’ar said.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that could suspend American assistance to Nigeria unless its government takes measurable steps to protect Christians and prosecute those responsible for religiously motivated violence.
The Lebanese Armed Forces began operations Monday to assume security responsibility in three southern villages, marking the first on-the-ground test of a U.S.-brokered framework aimed at securing an eventual Israeli withdrawal and dismantling Hezbollah’s military presence in the region.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday aimed at strengthening America’s defense industrial base and reducing the military’s dependence on China and other foreign suppliers for critical materials and components.
President Donald Trump declared Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested during his expected visit to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Archaeologists have uncovered massive wooden beams believed to have been burned during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem nearly 2,600 years ago, offering a rare and tangible connection to one of the most devastating events recorded in Biblical history.
An Iranian ballistic missile that killed two American soldiers at a Jordanian air base struck prefabricated housing where U.S. troops lived and slept, according to American officials cited in an exclusive Wall Street Journal report.
Andy Burnham became Britain’s new prime minister on Monday, replacing Keir Starmer after a Labour Party revolt and vowing a tougher approach toward Israel as part of an agenda that also includes sweeping economic reforms and devolving power from Westminster.