Amman (AsiaNews) – For Mgr Salim Sayegh, Auxiliary Bishop of Jerusalem in Jordan, Benedict XVI will continue to "light the moral way for men of goodwill", making sure that the world is always "aware of moral truths".

"We place our trust in a man who has, for 24 years, adhered to the Christian creed and its moral values in the Church," the Bishop said; "a man who worked closely with the late Pope John Paul II in the historic leadership of the Catholic church; a man who is very much aware of the truth of God and the realities of human nature."

"All these were revealed through his life's work and in his extraordinary homily during his Sunday inauguration," he added.

In Jordan, the celebrations for the beginning of Benedict XVI's pontificate coincided with Palm Sunday according to the Julian calendar.

Hundreds of people gathered in the country's churches to rejoice and bid welcome to the new Pontiff.

Given heightened regional tensions, security measures were tight to protect churches—tens of soldiers were stationed outside Christian buildings to prevent incidents and guarantee Christians the possibility to freely participate in the religious service.