In 1944, the only church in Amman was the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior; it was a structure made of mud-brick, and the late Father Suleiman Ammari served there. At that time, there was no metropolitan see in Amman; instead, metropolitans would travel from Jerusalem on certain Sundays—staying for just a day or a few days—to celebrate the Divine Liturgy before returning to Jerusalem.
In 1948, the Palestinian Nakba occurred, and many Palestinians began migrating to East Jordan. During this period, the Arab Orthodox Renaissance Society was raising funds to build the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior. The construction faced significant challenges, however, as strong floodwaters from the local stream hindered progress and damaged building materials; nevertheless, the project was eventually completed.
At that time, the late Hanna Pasha Al-Qassous was a man deeply devoted to the Church and its congregation. He maintained excellent relationships with the metropolitans visiting from Jerusalem, who would frequently visit his home, and he consistently urged them to appoint a resident metropolitan for Amman. Following his persistent requests—and those of the congregation—Patriarch Benedictos appointed the late Metropolitan Aristovoulos to Amman in 1955. Metropolitan Aristovoulos was a dignified and pious man with a beautiful voice; the congregation welcomed and loved him, rallying around their new shepherd. He was a frequent visitor to parishioners’ homes, tending to their needs and checking on their well-being. He rented a house in the Jabal Al-Weibdeh district, which served as the first headquarters for the Greek Orthodox Metropolitanate in Amman. Metropolitan Aristovoulos, in collaboration with priests serving the Amman parish—such as Father Suleiman Ammari, the late Father Ishaq Kila, the late Father Anastas Khoury, and the Reverend Father Constantine Qarmash—undertook the construction of churches and expanded the Church’s presence throughout the Amman region.
In 1957, the Parliament drafted the Law of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem during the tenure of Prime Minister Suleiman Nabulsi; however, that law never came into effect. Subsequently, Parliament was dissolved, and martial law was implemented in Jordan. In 1958, the Law of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem (Law No. 27/1958) was issued—a law that continues to govern the Patriarchate and the Metropolis to this day.
At that time, the late Metropolitan Simon Ghorfa, who resided in Jerusalem, was appointed to the post. His Beatitude Patriarch Benedictos announced plans to build four churches in the Kingdom: St. George’s Church in Zarqa, St. George’s Church in Safout, the Holy Spirit Church in Ajloun, and a church in the south of the Kingdom. This was followed by the construction of the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Al-Abdali, which was completed in 1962.
During this period, the late Diodoros—then an Archimandrite residing in Jerusalem—frequently visited Amman to oversee church construction projects. He was ordained Metropolitan of Amman in 1967. He held a deep affection for the parish in Jordan, and the parishioners reciprocated that love, rallying around him. He was a patriot who loved Jordan and was loyal to His Majesty King Hussein—may God rest his soul. He was elected Patriarch in 1980. During his tenure in Amman, he purchased significant tracts of land for church construction and investment to serve the congregation. At that time, he resided in a rented house opposite the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Al-Abdali.
The plot of land where the Bishopric currently stands was originally owned by Mr. Emile Skab, who donated it to Bishop Diodoros for the construction of a church named after the one where his father had served in Jerusalem: the Church of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. Adjacent plots were purchased from their respective owners. The Bishopric building was completed in 1983, and construction of the Church of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple began in 1988, culminating in its inauguration in 1990.
As for Metropolitan Benedictos, he had served as a deacon at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and was a close aide to Patriarch Diodoros. He rose through the ecclesiastical ranks, was ordained a bishop in 1999, and arrived in Amman in 2000, where he served until 2018.
On June 30, 2018, Archbishop Christophoros Atallah officially assumed his duties as the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Jordan.
