Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Arabia, Catholic administrative division in Abu Dhabi and Muscat, United Arab Emirates and Oman
The Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Arabia is a Catholic administrative region covering the United Arab Emirates and Oman, with parishes in both countries. Its main cathedral and headquarters sit in Abu Dhabi, serving as the central point for the faithful across the entire territory.
The jurisdiction was created in 1888 as the Vicariate of Aden and took its current name and form after a territorial reorganization in 2011. The Capuchin order has held leadership continuously for over a century.
Inside the churches of this vicariate, worshippers from dozens of countries pray side by side, often in their own language. Masses are celebrated in Tagalog, Malayalam, Tamil, Arabic, and English depending on the congregation, giving services a strongly international character.
Churches and prayer spaces are spread across Abu Dhabi, Muscat, and other cities in both countries, making services reachable from many locations. Masses run at different times and in several languages, so checking the schedule of the specific parish beforehand is a good idea.
Although the vicariate sits in a predominantly Muslim region, several of its church buildings stand on land provided by the local governments. This is rare in the Middle East and reflects a form of religious tolerance that is visible in the layout of parish areas.
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