During his visit to Israel, Pope Francis spoke against the violence in Syria and condemned those supplying and profiting from weapon sales to the embattled nation. He also articulated the need for a greater “respect” for religious freedoms across the Middle East, particularly for Christians, as the numbers have radically declined.

Pope Francis praised Jordan for its religious tolerance and care of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. “Such generosity merits appreciation by the international community,” Pope Francis told Jordanian King Abdullah II. There are currently about 600,000 registered Syrian refugees in Jordan and an estimated 700,000 unregistered. Pope Francis blessed a group of 50 Iraqi and Syrian refugees in a ceremony at a Catholic church on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, where Christians believe Jesus Christ was baptized.

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More photos from the Pope’s visit can be found here