Awali (Agenzia Fides) – The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia (OLA) in Bahrain is a beacon of spiritual light and hope for Catholics. It is not only a place of worship but also a symbol of peace and unity.

In a statement sent to Fides, the Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Arabia describes the traditional pilgrimage to the Holy Door of the Cathedral in Awali, the largest Catholic church on the Arabian Peninsula. It is a symbolic entrance that opens on the occasion of the jubilee years of Saint Arethas and Companions, the martyrs. On October 24, 2023, the Catholic Church in the Arabian Peninsula began the celebrations of the liturgical feast of the martyrdom of Saint Arethas and his companions with the opening of the Jubilee Year in all parishes, which will end on October 23, 2024 (see Fides, 20/10/2023).

Passing through the Holy Door is seen as a metaphorical passage from sin to grace, from darkness to light. Pilgrims from all over the world come to pass through the Holy Door and ask for a plenary indulgence. It is a unique and powerful experience for all who undertake it, and a spiritual as well as physical journey that requires participants to reflect on their lives, seek forgiveness for their sins and renew their faith in God. The pilgrimage strengthens the bonds of brotherhood and reminds everyone of their common mission to love and serve God through an experience of spiritual renewal and transformation.

“It is a time of grace and blessing,” the message reads, “a time to open one’s heart and mind to the transforming power of God’s grace and to pass through the Holy Door into a new and brighter future”.

“As the pilgrims pass through the Holy Door,” the note concludes, “they stop at eight stations, including the icon of Saint Arethas, the Chapel of Our Lady of Arabia, the baptismal font, the high altar, the Mystical Crown (16 icons), the Bishop’s Chair, the Chapel of Reconciliation and the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 4/3/2024)

*The original article published by Agenzia Fides online can be accessed here.

About 1,000 Catholics in Bahrain attended Mass to mark third anniversary of the opening of Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral

14 December 2023

About 1,000 Catholics in Bahrain attended a special Mass on Dec. 10 to mark the third anniversary of the opening of Arabian peninsula’s biggest cathedral and welcomed the relics of Christian martyrs and saints.

During the ceremony, Bishop Aldo Berardi, the Vicar Apostolic of Northern Arabia, urged Catholics to make time to visit Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral to pray and worship to find peace, Fides new agency reported on Dec. 12.

“When you come to the cathedral, you can feel at home. Here you can pray, think, meditate. People come to church to find themselves, to find peace,” Berardi said.

The cathedral serves as the seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, covering Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the then Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, opened the cathedral in 2020.

The cathedral “is a place of spirituality, of welcome, where we can find someone who listens to us. We are the true temple because true worship is in the heart,” Berardi said.

During the ceremony, Berardi blessed two sets of relics of Christian martyrs and saints presented by a group of Catholics. The relics were placed at the altar by Father Saji Thomas, the cathedral’s rector.

The first set contained relics of Saint Arethas and his companions who were martyred in 523, according to Church records.

They were Arab Christians from the ancient city of Najran in ancient Yemen (present-day Saudi Arabia) who were victims of a multifaceted conflict between the ancient kingdoms of Himyar (in Yemen) and Axum (in Ethiopia).

According to tradition, it is believed that Arethas played a prominent part in Najran’s political life, perhaps as a governor or sayyid until his martyrdom at between 80 to 95 years of age.

The two apostolic vicariates in the Arabian Gulf are celebrating the jubilee in honor of Saint Arethas and companions from Oct. 24, 2023, to Oct. 23, 2024.

Pope Francis has also granted a Plenary Indulgence during this period on condition that people visit the Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Arabia and the Parish Church of Saint Arethas in the form of a pilgrimage.

The second set of relics included that of Saint John of Matha, founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinitarians), and Saint Josephine Bakhita, who was freed from slavery and subsequently baptized.

Berardi also consecrated the crosses placed on the walls of the cathedral as part of the liturgical celebrations.

“The place becomes holy because it is consecrated; we, in turn, are consecrated as Christians,” Berardi told the congregation.

As of 2020, the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia served about 2.7 million Catholics, mostly migrants from up 100 countries including the Philippines and India.

About 80 percent Catholics belong to the Latin Rite while the rest belong to the Eastern Rite, according to the vicariate’s latest data.

The Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait was established in 1953, splitting territories from the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia. It was elevated to an apostolic vicariate in 1954 and was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia in 2011.

There are about one million Catholics in Saudi Arabia alone, according to the Vicariate’s website.

Kuwait has an estimated 350,000 Catholics, Bahrain has around 80,000, and Qatar has between 200,000 to 300,000 Catholics.

*The original article published by Vatican News online can be accessed here.

A conversation with Msgr. Aldo Berardi, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia

By Simone Baroncia
Awali, Friday, December 1, 2023 2:00 pm (ACI Press).

In recent weeks, the extraordinary jubilee in the Apostolic Vicariates of Arabia for the 1500th anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Arethas and Companions opened with a solemn Eucharistic celebration in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali, Bahrain, presided over by Msgr. Aldo Berardi, apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia (which covers the states of the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) preceded by the rite of the opening of the Holy Door: “We consider this a year of grace for the entire Vicariate and for all the Christian communities present in the Arabian Gulf. Let us celebrate in faith the memory of our Christian ancestors who gave their lives for Christ, remaining faithful to the end.”

In his testimony, Msgr. Aldo Berardi underlined that the Jubilee is a propitious occasion to rediscover the memory of the ancient martyrs of the Arabian Peninsula, and find comfort in their stories of faith and martyrdom because of their closeness to Christ: “This Jubilee Year is an opportunity to renew our missionary spirit and deepen our faith. We, in turn, must bear witness to Christ and the Gospel by living a holy and consistent life. There is a general interest in parishes and prayer groups, of all spiritualities and all ethnic groups, to enter into the spirit of the Jubilee. Even the children in catechism participate joyfully in this general enthusiasm.” For this Jubilee Pope Francis has granted plenary indulgence until October 23rd of next year.

We asked him to tell us how the encounter with Christianity occurred in the Arabian Peninsula:

“There are traces of a very ancient Christian presence in the Arabian Peninsula. Archaeologists have confirmed the writings and documents in the possession of historians. Christian communities have therefore existed since the beginning of Christianity. Apostles and Evangelists have passed through here. The missionaries came from Palestine and Ethiopia. The dispersion after the fall of Jerusalem in the year 70 AD ‘launched’ the Christian community in the region. Thus churches, monasteries and bishoprics were born. There has been gradual development and constant evangelization in the region. It is true that, alongside polytheism, a certain monotheism coexisted, which favored the Christian system. Until the advent of Islam, Christianity flourished.”

What does it mean to celebrate the Jubilee of the martyrdom of Saint Arethas?

“This Jubilee is very important for us. We commemorate the event of Najran, an oasis in southern Arabia, where the large Christian community was martyred. We reconnect with our Christian history; we are inspired by the testimony of the martyrs and renew our adherence to Christ. The martyrs were steadfast in their faith, and today we are witnesses of that same faith, which enlivens and plunges us in the heart of the Trinity. Memory, therefore, deepens the faith and renews our baptismal commitments. We want to be worthy of the martyrs, but also to relive the missionary spirit for a deeper and more dynamic testimony. We are finally called to convert and live as children of light in this region.”

Who was Saint Arethas?

“Saint Arethas was a layman, head of the city of Najran, a political leader but also a religious figure. His life was described in the account of his martyrdom. Having converted at a very young age, he was a wise and respected man. He acted according to Christian principles and defended the local population. It is true that the region has often been characterized by rebellions and regime changes. He remains steadfast in the faith and urged Christians to defend their faith against a tyrant king, who demanded the rejection of Christ in exchange for their lives. He was beheaded at an advanced age.”

What does the martyrdom of Saint Arethas and companions teach?

“These martyrs maintained their Christian faith in the face of ridicule, persecution and threats. They remained steadfast in the faith. Looking to the past inspires us. Life in the past was no easier than life today. The faith was transmitted and remained like a lighthouse in the storm and a beacon in the night. It is the way of life and light for those who look to Christ and follow Him. Today we are witnesses of the Risen One, with our words and our works, with our weaknesses and our strengths, with the same love that animated the martyrs. It is up to us to stand up and bear witness to Christ with an honest and coherent life, a life given out of love and oriented towards Good and Beauty, towards brotherly love and commitment to peace, justice and tolerance”.

What does it mean to be a Church of migrants?

“Of course Islam is the local religion; therefore there are very few indigenous Christians. Our Church is made up of expatriate Christians who arrived in the region for economic reasons. There were job opportunities after the discovery and exploitation of oil. The Gulf countries have developed at a dizzying pace. Proceeds from oil sales are giving impetus to the region. There is work for everyone. Among these expatriates, Christians are numerous (more than 2,000,000), of every origin, language, nation and rite. The result is a very diversified Church, which takes care of its differences, but lives in the unity of faith. The same Lord unites us in our differences, which are accepted and respected. The Church grows at the rate of arrivals and departures. The population changes. Our faithful pass by and then return to their countries or emigrate to other countries. This may limit us in our apostolate, but we are at the service of these changing communities. Having left for other horizons, they found the same Catholic Church that welcomed them.”

How can faiths fuel peace?

“Faiths always talk about peace. There is a desire for peace that comes from the hearts. Interreligious dialogue informs us about this dynamic of faith tending towards peace. We talk about it. We develop it. Everyone tries to find the elements in their own tradition that will nourish peace. There is no other way than prayer and dialogue. Knowing others opens the mind to the possibility of understanding each other beyond differences and fears. Fear feeds on ignorance and prejudice. Fear leads to violence and the damage is enormous. They are harmful to the future. Interrupted dialogue is difficult to engage again. Let us try by all means to stay in touch with each other in this desire for peace.”

How is the situation in the Holy Land perceived in the Vicariate of Northern Arabia?

“This caused great pain. Religious communities were stunned to learn of the violence. They condemn them! Christians pray and fast: it is a spiritual response to violence and revenge. We do not engage in politics, but our concern for humanity remains vigilant. We share the concern of our neighbors and everyone is invited to participate in the solidarity movement according to their possibilities. The Arab population sides with the Palestinian people. The political authorities are more moderate, but cannot accept this situation, which jeopardizes the fragile balance of this region. Geopolitics are changing and dialogue efforts are weakened. We feel in our flesh the pain of the Holy Land and pray for peace. Our Jubilee encourages us to be committed and compassionate.”

*Unofficial English translation of an interview published online in the Italian edition of ACI Stampa. The original article can be accessed here.

November 11, 2023

A music video in honor of St. Arethas which was recorded in Malayalam was recently launched on the occasion of the Jubilee. Bro. Gibu Thomas from the Malayalam-speaking community composed the lyrics of the song, paying tribute to the courageous witness of St. Arethas and his steadfast faith in the Cross. The music video, on the other hand, was professionally recorded in Kerala, India and performed by a cast of Christian artists.

Watch the music video on YouTube:

Bishop Paolo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, presides over Mass for the opening of the Holy Door at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi, as part of the Jubilee for the 1,500th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Arethas and companions.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

9th November 2023

As the Church in the Arabian Peninsula begins its Holy Year for the 1,500th anniversary of the Martyrs of Arabia (523-2023), the second of two Holy Doors was opened at Mass on Thursday evening in St. Joseph’s Cathedral in the United Arab Emirates’ capital of Abu Dhabi.

The Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFM Cap., presided over the Mass as part of the Extraordinary Jubilee proclaimed in the Apostolic Vicariates of Northern and Southern Arabia for the occasion.

During the Mass, Bishop Martinelli opened the Holy Door at the Cathedral, to which Pope Francis made a private visit during his February 2019 visit to Abu Dhabi.

Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, present these days in Abu Dhabi for the Global Faith Leaders Summit in view of COP28, and the Apostolic Nuncio to the United Arab Emirates, Archbishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis, took part in the celebration.

The Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, delivered the homily, recalling the ancient roots of Christianity in the region.

When modern Christians first came to the Gulf region, he said, they thought that Christianity arrived with them and the discovery of oil. 

“Then one day, unexpectedly, archeologists found the remains of monasteries, churches, and crosses in the rocks and the deserts,” said Bishop Berardi. “Therefore, we are not a new Church. We are the continuation of that Church.”

He recalled that the lives of ancient Christians in the region were not easy and that they faced various persecutions because of their love for God.

Though modern Christians cannot proselytize in the Gulf, he said, “we must live as witnesses to Jesus every day: in our daily lives, our work, our families, our honesty, our consistency of life, and our relationships with others.”

“This,” concluded Bishop Berardi, “is our modern-day trial: to be witnesses in life and in love.”

Arabian Jubilee commemorates historic martyrs

On 4 November, Bishop Berardi opened the Holy Door in Awali, Bahrain, for the Jubilee, while Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent, the Apostolic Nuncio to Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, delivered the homily.

St. Arethas and Companions were Arab Christians from the ancient city of Najran in ancient Yemen, in present-day Saudi Arabia, who were victims of a multifaceted conflict between the ancient kingdoms of Himyar, in Yemen, and Axum, in Ethiopia. They were martyred in the year 523 AD.

Hagiographic literature presently available in Syriac, Greek and other languages indicates a large number of Arab Christians from Najran were severely persecuted and eventually sentenced to death for their faith in Christ.

Martyrs preferred to die rather than deny Christ

In a message released on Thursday, Bishop Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, prayed that God might give Christians in the region peace and Pascal joy, expressing his gratitude to the Lord for the Jubilee of the 15th centennial anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Arethas and companions.

He called it an event “that concerns all Christians in the Gulf and touches us deeply.”

“The testimony of these martyrs,” he said, “has transmitted to us faith in the risen Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Saint Arethas and his companions were faithful to Christ; they did not accept compromises. They preferred to die than deny their Christian faith.”

A Church of migrants

He recalled that the Gulf’s Christian community is part of a long history of Christians who have lived in the Gulf.

While acknowledging they are “a Church of migrants,” coming from different countries with different languages and traditions, Bishop Martinelli noted that by coming to live in this land, “we are part of the history of the Church” in the region.

“But we cannot remember these holy martyrs,” he said, “without asking ourselves what their testimony means for us today.”

Delving deeper into Christian testimony

“This Jubilee Year,” he said, “is an opportunity to delve deeper into the meaning of the Christian testimony that we are called to bear every day with our lives.”

The Second Vatican Council, he said, “explained it very well,” when stating: “Since Jesus, the Son of God, manifested His charity by laying down His life for us, so too no one has greater love than he who lays down his life for Christ and His brothers.”

Celebrating the martyrs, added Bishop Martinelli, means “venerating those who, through a particular spiritual gift, were able to conform totally to Christ and His love to the point of making the ultimate gift of their own lives.” 

Furthermore, the Apostolic Vicar said, it means renewing our commitment to Christian testimony in our world and society.

Humble testimony walking together

“For this reason,” he insisted, “I invite you to pray through these holy martyrs and to deepen the meaning of Christian testimony in this region.”

Bishop Martinelli invited the region’s faithful to offer a “humble testimony” that enables them to walk together with the faithful of other religions and other faiths.

“We are all brothers and sisters, because we are loved and desired by the one God, Father of all,” he said. “Together, we are called to build a more fraternal and human world.”

Jubilee full of blessings

The Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia concluded by praying that the Jubilee Year might be an occasion to grow in faith and bear witness to the Gospel.

“I wish you a wondrous Jubilee full of blessings from heaven through the intercession of Saint Arethas and companion martyrs,” he said.

Pope Francis is set to return to the United Arab Emirates on 1-3 December to attend the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.

*Original article posted online in Vatican News can be found here.

The Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, celebrates Mass in Awali, Bahrain, and opened the Holy Door for the Jubilee celebrating the 1,500th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Arethas and companions.

By Vatican News – 4th November 2023

As the Church in the Arabian Peninsula begins its Holy Year for the 1,500th anniversary of the Martyrs of Arabia (523-2023), one of two Holy Doors was opened during Mass in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali, Bahrain.

Bishop Aldo Berardi, the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, presided over the ritual to open the Holy Door and celebrated the Mass.

Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent, the Apostolic Nuncio to Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, delivered the homily.

He conveyed Pope Francis’ greetings and his prayerful support for Catholics on the Arabian Peninsula.

Jubilee ‘a time of spiritual renewal’

In his homily, Archbishop Nugent expressed his hope that the Jubilee would be a time of grace and spiritual renewal for the Catholic community.

He acknowledged the challenges of being Christians in the present era, noting that many Christians are persecuted in various parts of the world.

Following the example of St. Arethas, who was killed alongside 4,000 other faithful during an anti-Christian persecution in Najran in 523 AD, during pre-Islamic times in Arabia, the Apostolic Nuncio encouraged Christians to bear witness daily to the Gospel of love proclaimed by Christ.

Inspiration drawn from the past

Speaking at the Mass, Bishop Berardi invited Catholics across the region to follow the example of faith, courage, and perseverance of the martyrs who gave their lives for the love of Christ.

“The martyrs maintained the Christian faith despite ridicule, persecution, and threats,” he said. “They stood firm in their faith. Looking to the past inspires us. Life in the past was no easier than it is today.”

Bishop Berardi called the faith handed down through the ages as “a beacon in the storm and a light in the darkness.”

Faith, he added, “is the way of life and light for those who look to Christ and follow Him.”

He reminded the Catholics of the Arabian Peninsula that their words and deeds, as well as their weaknesses and strengths, bear witness to Christ in the same love that animated the martyrs of 1,500 years ago.

“It is up to us to rise and testify to Christ with an honest and consistent life, a life given for love and oriented towards the Good and the Beautiful, towards fraternal love, and commitment to peace, justice, and tolerance,” he said.

Two Holy Doors for two Apostolic Vicariates

The faithful of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia will celebrate the opening of their own Holy Door on 9 November at 6:00 PM local time.

Bishop Paolo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, will preside over Mass for and open the Holy Door at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.

Pope Francis visited the Cathedral during his Apostolic Journey to the UAE in February 2019.

The Pope has granted a plenary indulgence to all the faithful who undertake a pilgrimage and enter either of the two Holy Doors before the end of the Jubilee Year on 23 October 2024.

*The original article published by Vatican News online can be accessed here.

On October 24, 2023, the Church of the Arabian Peninsula turned festive as it celebrated the opening of the Extraordinary Jubilee of St. Arethas and Companions on the occasion of the 1500^th anniversary of their martyrdom. A Solemn Pontifical Mass was presided by Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, and concelebrated by Bishop Paul Hinder, OFMCap., apostolic administrator emeritus of Northern Arabia, and Bishop Claudio Lurati, M.C.C.J., apostolic vicar of Alexandria in Egypt. Thirty priests representing the different parishes of the Vicariate of Northern Arabia also participated at the solemn liturgy, led by its vicar general, Fr. Ben Barrameda.

Prior to the Jubilee Mass, the Holy Door of the Parish of St. Arethas and Companions was blessed and opened in a moving ceremony by Bishop Aldo Berardi, along with Bishop Paul Hinder and Bishop Claudio Lurati. Following the Decree issued in August by the Apostolic Penitentiary in the name of Pope Francis, pilgrimage to the Holy Door during the jubilee year grants the faithful a Plenary Indulgence on satisfaction of the three usual conditions (Confession, Communion, Prayer for the intentions of the Pope). Bishop Aldo also blessed the shrine of St. Arethas which is expected to host the holy relics of the great Arab martyr, a magnificent gift of the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, to the Christian communities in the Gulf.

Across the northern vicariate, the different parishes celebrated the liturgy in honor of the holy martyrs. These various celebrations marked the official opening of the extraordinary jubilee in honor of St. Arethas and Companions being jointly celebrated by the north and the south vicariates of the Arabian Gulf.

In his homily at the Jubilee Mass, Bishop Aldo emphasized the importance of remembering the group of Arab Christians who were martyred for their steadfast faith in Christ and who can be considered as ancestors in the faith of the present generation of Christians in the Gulf. He also exhorted the faithful to renew their missionary spirit and deepen their faith, to bear witness to Christ and the Gospel by living a holy and consistent life.

At the conclusion of the holy mass, Bishop Aldo imparted to the faithful the Papal Blessing with attached Plenary Indulgence in the name of the Pope. The solemn celebration also featured hymns in honor of the martyrs which were especially composed for the inaugural mass of the Jubilee.  

The festivities continued the following day with choirs from several communities performing original songs in different languages as tribute to St. Arethas and Companions. The ministry of Altar Servers presented a stirring stage play on the life and martyrdom of the Najran saints, to the delight of the congregation and guests.

With the success of the weeklong celebrations inaugurating the Jubilee, the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia looks forward to a profound year of grace and blessings.