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Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia

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Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia
Apostolicus Vicariatus Arabiae Septentrionalis
النيابة الرسولية العربية الشمالية
Location
Country Kuwait
Bahrain
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Statistics
Area 2,179,846 km2 (841,643 sq mi)
Population
Total
Catholics 		(as of 2020)
43,463,583
2,722,000[1] (6.3%)
Churches 11
Information
Denomination Catholic
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite, Maronite, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara, Coptic Catholic
Established 29 June 1953 (As Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait)
2 December 1954 (As Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait)
31 May 2011 (As Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia)
Cathedral Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, Bahrain
Co-cathedral Holy Family Co-Cathedral, Kuwait
Patroness Our Lady of Arabia
Secular priests 54
Current leadership
Pope Leo XIV
Apostolic Vicar Aldo Berardi OSsT
Map
Website
Website of the Apostolic Vicariate

The Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia (Latin: Vicariatus Apostolicus Arabiæ Septentrionalis) (Arabic: النيابة الرسولية العربية الشمالية) is an apostolic vicariate of the Catholic Church with territorial jurisdiction for Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The vicar apostolic of the vicariate is Bishop Aldo Berardi OSsT.[2] It was first established in 1953 (as the Apostolic Prefecture of Kuwait) and took its current name in 2011.

The apostolic vicariate is led by a vicar apostolic, who is usually a titular bishop. While such a territory can be classed as a particular Church, according to canon 371.1 of the Latin Code of Canon Law, a vicar apostolic's jurisdiction is an exercise of the jurisdiction of the Pope – the territory comes directly under the Pope as "local bishop", and the vicariate come directly under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Rome, where the pope exercises this authority through a "vicar".[3] This is unlike the jurisdiction of a diocesan bishop, whose jurisdiction derives directly from his office.

The see of the apostolic vicar is in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali, Bahrain, with a co-cathedral, the Holy Family Co-Cathedral, located in Kuwait City which was the former seat of the vicariate.

Statistics

The vicariate serves the peninsular Arabian countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, but there are no churches on Saudi territory. As of 2020, it serves a Catholic population of 2,722,000, which is approximately 6.3% of the total population of the region (43,463,583).

The vicariate comprises 11 parishes and has 54 priests, including 11 diocesan and 43 religious priests. Additionally, there are 1 deacon, 44 brothers, 18 sisters, 1 seminarian, and 61 lay religious who support the vicariate.[4]

History

The apostolic vicariate was established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Kuwait in June 1953, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia. It was promoted on 2 December 1954, as the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait, entitled to a titular bishop. It was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia on 31 May 2011, having gained additional territory from the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia, which was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia.

In January 2011, Pope Benedict XVI through the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments declared the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Arabia patroness of the Northern Vicariate (feast on the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time).

In August 2012, the headquarters of the vicariate was transferred from Kuwait to Bahrain, which is in the centre of the vicariate since it had a more permissive visa policy.[5]

Leadership

Apostolic Prefect of Kuwait
Apostolic Vicars of Kuwait
  1. Ubaldo Teofano Stella, OCD (2 December 1954 – March 1966)
  2. Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce, OCD – (as Apostolic Administrator), (17 March 1966 – 31 May 1976)
  3. Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce, OCD (31 May 1976 – 5 November 1981)
  4. Francis George Adeodatus Micallef, OCD (5 November 1981 – 14 July 2005)
  5. Camillo Ballin, MCCI (14 July 2005 – 31 May 2011)
Apostolic Vicars of Northern Arabia
  1. Camillo Ballin, MCCI (31 May 2011 – 12 April 2020)
  2. Paul Hinder, OFMCap – (as Apostolic Administrator), (13 May 2020 – 18 March 2023)
  3. Aldo Berardi, OSsT (18 March 2023 – present)

Parishes

  • Bahrain:
    • Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali
    • Sacred Heart Church in Manama
    • St. Aretha's Parish
    • Our Lady of Arabia Parish
    • Our Lady of Fatima Parish
    • St. Joseph Parish
  • Qatar:
    • Church of Our Lady of the Rosary in Doha
    • St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church in Doha

See also

Canonical status and jurisdiction

Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia is a apostolic vicariate of the Catholic Church.[6]

References

  1. Back to citation gcatholic. "Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia". gcatholic.org. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  2. Back to citation "The Vicariates of the Arabian Peninsula: Introduction". The Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  3. Back to citation Scudder, Lewis R. (1998). The Arabian Mission's Story: In Search of Abraham's Other Son. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-4616-7.
  4. Back to citation "GCatholic – Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  5. Back to citation "Vatican moves Gulf seat to Bahrain to simplify logistics". 10 August 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  6. Back to citation Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, official website
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