UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – INDIA Archbishop Thattil with the Syro-Malabars of the Gulf

The major archbishop visited the communities of the region. He did a first stage in the northern vicariate and the second in the south, between Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Apostolic Vicar Mons. Martinelli: “Collaboration is the “virtue” of the Church of the Gulf.” One of the pending issues to which the prelate referred was “jurisdiction in the Middle East, although the modalities have not yet been defined.”

Abu Dhabi () – In welcoming His Beatitude Raphael Thattil, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, in the parish of Saint Paul in Muscat, Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Vicar Apostolic of South Arabia (United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen ) expressed his gratitude “to the Syro-Malabar faithful” and admiration for “the strength of their faith” and “assiduous presence in liturgical celebrations”,. In these weeks the major archbishop is making a visit to the communities of the Gulf countries, which began with the northern vicariate and then continued to Oman, the first stage in the southern vicariate. “As we have faithful from different Churches sui iuris and of many nations and languages, collaboration between all – the prelate noted in his welcome speech – is the most important virtue for our vicariate. In this way, a sincere exchange of gifts is carried out among our faithful, as recommended by the recent assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome on how to be a synodal Church on the way out.”

On November 25, Bishop Paolo Martinelli received in Muscat, Oman, Rapahel Thattil, major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars and president of the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church, on his eight-day visit to the vicariate. One of the most significant moments of this tour will be the Syro-Malabar Day that will take place on November 30 in the Saint Mary parish of Dubai. It is an annual meeting in which all the members of the community – about 6 thousand, according to the latest estimates of the local Church – gather for a solemn Eucharistic celebration, followed by moments of conviviality, cultural programs, speeches and other activities.

“We welcome His Beatitude with joy on his visit to the faithful belonging to the Syro-Malabar Church who live in this parish,” continued Bishop Martinelli, wishing him “peace and health. We pray for him, that, after his recent election as major archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, “enjoy the gift of wisdom for his delicate mission”, and at the same time also addressed a greeting “to all of you, dear Syro-Malabar faithful”.

During his visit to the apostolic vicariate of South Arabia, the head of the Syro-Malabar Church – a reality disturbed for years by a very tough internal confrontation over the liturgy – was in the parishes of Ruwi and Ghala, in Muscat, where he celebrated the “Holy Qurbana.” Yesterday it was Salalah’s turn, where he met with the local Syro-Malabar community, while today he will travel to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where visits to the Gulf parishes will continue. Previously, Archbishop Rapahel Thattil had been in the vicariate of North Arabia (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain), in a territory that for more than two centuries has been the destination of immigration from other countries on the Asian continent. especially India and the Philippines.

As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, the first resident priest in the Gulf mission arrived more than 30 years ago and there are currently about 60 priests spread throughout the apostolic vicariate of South Arabia. Of these, at least 13 are of the Syro-Malabar rite, dedicated above all to the pastoral care of the faithful of this rite, without neglecting the objective of unity and belonging to the one Church, although without renouncing the peculiarities of each rite. In addition, five Syro-Malabar priests – whose faithful are around 5% of the total in the Southern Vicariate – are in charge of one of the 13 parishes spread throughout the territory.

Local Church sources affirm that this is a “very important” visit for the head of the Syro-Malabar Church, the first after his election to the position of major archbishop, and constitutes a festive occasion “for everyone” in the Gulf . Returning to the words of Pope Francis in the homily of the mass he celebrated in Abu Dhabi during his apostolic journey in 2019, Bishop Martinelli spoke in his speech of a Church “unique in the entire world.” “The face of this Church – continued the prelate of Italian origin – is the face of the polyphony of faith. A Church formed by immigrants from more than a hundred countries, a Church of pilgrims, always in motion and changing. From its foundation, the apostolic vicariate of Arabia has been open to all the faithful, coming from many countries and from all the various sui iuris Churches”.

At the conclusion of his speech, Bishop Martinelli pointed out the aspects still unresolved between the diverse souls of the Church of the vicariate, which is characterized by an ideal of unity in the diversity of its components. At the meeting on May 13, the prelate highlighted, the Pope “verbally granted you jurisdiction in the Middle East, although the modalities have not yet been defined. We know that this is an important step for everyone and we will follow the instructions of the Holy See – he stated – that his presence among us is a great gift, a blessing for the Syro-Malabar faithful and also for the entire vicariate, because we are all called to bear witness to Christ through love and compassion. unity between all the disciples, as Jesus asked: “that they may be one, so that the world may believe.” May the Lord make us capable of being credible witnesses in the world.