THE LARGEST Roman Catholic cathedral in the Arabian Peninsula was inaugurated in Bahrain yesterday by His Majesty King Hamad’s personal representative Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa with a military band playing and a choir singing.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali has been built on 9,000sqm of land donated by His Majesty at an estimated cost of BD5.5 million.
Shaikh Abdulla opened the stunning cathedral officially by placing a crystal ball – one symbolising peace – on a replica of a lamppost in the Vatican, the city-state surrounded by the Italian capital of Rome and headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.
It is one of seven - the others representing the virtues of faith, love, hope, mercy, wisdom and charity.
The opening was also graced by the presence of Pope Francis’ representative Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of People, Apostolic Administrator of Northern Arabia Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait and Bahrain Archbishop Eugene M Nugent, representative of the Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East of the Greek Orthodox to the Patriarchate of Moscow and all Russia Archbishop Niphon Saikali and King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence chairman Dr Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.
Around 200 invited guests, including senior royal court officials, ministers, diplomats, businessmen, church leaders and members of the media were present to witness the historic moment. The cathedral, which can seat up to 2,300 people, will cater to an estimated 2.5m Catholics in the region, mostly migrant workers from different nations and diverse cultures.
Mementos were exchanged between the Vatican and Bahrain and during his address Cardinal Luis delivered the regards of Pope Francis to His Majesty King Hamad. Representatives of the cathedral project team and benefactors were also honoured.
The 40-member Awali Church Filipino choir and Bahrain Police band gave the musical accompaniments for the day.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia will be consecrated this morning by Cardinal Luis with the service being limited to an invited 1,000 strong congregation inside and out of the building, to comply with Covid-19 protocol.
Bishop Hinder told the GDN that the cathedral will also eventually be the office of a new bishop for the Vicariate of Northern Arabia.
The seat has been vacant following the death of Italian Bishop Camillo Ballin who had long championed the Bahrain project.
“Right now the seat of the bishop is vacant, but there will be again an Apostolic Vicar for Northern Arabia seated in Bahrain and this will be the main church for all major regional activities - as the spiritual centre of the Roman Catholic community in this vicariate of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia,” explained Bishop Hinder, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, adding that the ‘complicated’ nomination procedure remains ongoing.
Bahrain is home to around 80,000 to 100,000 Roman Catholics and Dr Shaikh Khalid noted the event reflected Bahrain’s historic tradition of religious tolerance.
“We’re very proud to have this cathedral for the Catholic community in the region,” he said. “We have had the freedom of worship for more than 200 years and live harmoniously together.”
Father Saji Thomas, parish priest of Our Lady of Visitation Church Awali and the project head of the cathedral during its final stages, was emotional when he expressed his gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad.
“It is indeed a dream come true and we have no words to thank His Majesty King Hamad and the entire Royal Family for all the support - God had blessed this day,” he said.
He also remembered the late Bishop Ballin - the cathedral was his ‘dream project’ after the idea was first proposed in 2011 when the King visited the Vatican.
As reported in the GDN, Pope Francis has received a royal invitation to visit Bahrain.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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