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 The BBC's Barbara Plett in Amman"Many people left their seats and ran after his Popemobile"  real 28k The BBC's Orla Guerin in Jordan"He has brought a message of peace to this troubled region"  real 28k |
Some 50,000 followers packed into a sports stadium in the capital Amman to celebrate mass with the pontiff - the largest Christian gathering in a mainly Muslim country.
 Followers mobbed the popemobile, keen to get closer to the pontiff
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"May the resources of the church ... set unity and love as their supreme goal."
A key theme of the trip is how to improve relations among Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which all converge in Jerusalem's Old City.
Christian exiles
Religion in Jordan
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Muslims 90%
Christians 6%
Christian Churches
Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Maronite, Assyrian, Anglican, Lutheran
Christian centres
Fuheis, Kerak, Husn, Madaba, Salt
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Many in the crowd wore T-shirts emblazoned with the faces of the Pope and King Abdullah, with the slogan "Jordan welcomes John Paul II".
Muslim members of the royal family, including the king's mother, joined the cheering Catholics.
Among the faithful at the mass were about 10,000 Christians exiled from Iraq. They said they would ask the Pope to pray for the embargo against their country to be lifted.
 The Pope appeared to take a rest during the mass
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The Pope also visited Wadi al-Kharrar on the east bank of the Jordan River, the site of Jesus' baptism, according to Jordan.
However the Israelis and Palestinians say Jesus was baptised in another spot, and to avoid taking sides, the Pope will also visit that site later in his trip.
Jerusalem visit
The Pope, who is making the first papal visit to the Holy Land, will travel on Tuesday evening to neighbouring Israel and the Palestinian territories - culminating in final prayers at the site in Jerusalem where Christians believe Jesus was resurrected from the dead.
Pope John Paul will be only the second Pope in history to go to Jerusalem - which both the Israelis and Palestinians claim as their capital.
 Palestinians in East Jerusalem prepare for the Pope's arrival
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Both Israel and the Palestinians will be watching to see whether the Pope's religious sympathies translate into political support for their positions.
The Vatican has stressed that the pontiff has no political agenda, although he acknowledged the region's political turmoil shortly after arriving in the Middle East on Monday.
After touching down at Amman airport, the Pope said: "In this area of the world, there are grave and urgent issues of justice, of the rights of peoples and nations, which have to be resolved.
"No matter how difficult, no matter how long, the process of seeking peace must continue."
The security operation for the visit is being described as the biggest Israel has ever organised for a foreign dignitary. Israel is deploying 18,000 police officers and 4,000 soldiers - spending more than $8m on "Operation Old Friend".
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