The Catholic community in Saudi Arabia forms part of the Universal Church under the spiritual leadership of the Pope. On May 31, 2011, by decree of the Holy See, Saudi Arabia was detached from the former Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia and incorporated into the newly created Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia (AVONA).

According to unofficial estimates, there are over 1.3 million Roman Catholics residing in the Kingdom, all of whom are foreign expatriate workers, predominantly from the Philippines and India, along with faithful from other parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

Saudi Arabia is an Islamic state and the birthplace of Islam. The ethnic Saudi population is Muslim, and the country is home to Islam’s holiest sites. As such, non-Islamic religions are not officially recognized, and public worship or display of other faiths is prohibited. Consequently, the Catholic community has long practiced its faith with discretion, in full respect of the local customs and religious sensitivities. Despite the lack of churches or public places of worship, relations with local authorities have generally remained respectful and stable. The kingdom permits Christians, including Roman Catholics, to enter the country as foreign workers under temporary employment arrangements.

While Saudi Arabia does not yet have formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See, a number of positive engagements have marked its indirect relationship with the Vatican. In 2007, the late King Abdullah made a historic visit to Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican—the first audience between a Saudi monarch and the head of the Roman Catholic Church. During their meeting, which lasted about half an hour, the two leaders discussed common concerns such as family values and the pursuit of peace in the Middle East. As a symbolic gesture, King Abdullah presented the Pope with a golden sword.

Since that milestone encounter, the Kingdom has increasingly participated in interfaith initiatives and hosted several high-profile Christian leaders. Under the present reign of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia has welcomed visits by figures such as Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Béchara Boutros al-Rahi, and the late Cardinals Jean-Louis Tauran and Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, among others. These historic visits reflect Saudi Arabia’s growing openness to interreligious dialogue and its stated commitment to peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among the world’s major faiths.