Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia

Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia A territorial jurisdiction of the Catholic Church covering UAE, Oman and Yemen, based in Abu Dhabi The Apostolic Vicar in charge is HE.

The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia is a territorial jurisdiction of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church with its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, and covers the following countries of the Arabian Peninsula: United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen. Bishop Paolo Martinelli OFM Cap., who hails from Italy.

On the day of her birthday, and just a few days before her departure for a new mission, Bishop Paolo Martinelli expresse...
15/06/2026

On the day of her birthday, and just a few days before her departure for a new mission, Bishop Paolo Martinelli expresses his heartfelt gratitude to Sister Rachele for her 15 years of service in the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, especially in the field of Christian formation at St. Mary’s Parish in Dubai.

“Dearest Sister Rachele, you are and remain a living stone of our Church in the Gulf. Thank you for your humble and powerful witness to Christ’s love.

We continue to pray for you and accompany you in your new mission. We also ask you to continue to remember in your prayers this people whom, for so many years, you have accompanied and helped to grow in faith.

May the Lord bless you and accompany you always.”

12/06/2026

Bishop Paolo jumping in the trend ❤️
Thanks to oir teens in Sohar 🤩🤩🤩

Bishop Paolo Martinelli officially inaugurated the Pilgrim Centre at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Sohar, established f...
12/06/2026

Bishop Paolo Martinelli officially inaugurated the Pilgrim Centre at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Sohar, established for the Franciscan Year.

Read more: https://avosa.org/news/pilgrim-centre-sohar-franciscan-year

The Bishop raised the flag of the Franciscan Year, blessed the new centre, and cut the ribbon, marking the official opening of this place of pilgrimage.

The parish is one of the Jubilee Churches of the Vicariate. Until January 10, 2027, the faithful may make a pilgrimage there and receive the plenary indulgence.

During the solemn Mass for the parish's patron saint, Bishop Paolo invited the faithful to follow the example of St. Anthony: “Be worthy of your patron saint. Serve one another. May you always live in peace and be witnesses of the joy of the Gospel.”

Bishop Paolo Martinelli met with the clergy serving in the parishes of Oman on June 11.The meeting offered an opportunit...
11/06/2026

Bishop Paolo Martinelli met with the clergy serving in the parishes of Oman on June 11.

The meeting offered an opportunity to share the life of the four Catholic parishes present in the Sultanate and to reflect on the common journey of the Vicariate.

The Bishop also encouraged pilgrimages to the Jubilee Church of St. Anthony of Padua in Sohar during the Franciscan Year.

A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and to how it may be shared with the faithful.

Bishop Paolo Martinelli has begun his pastoral visit to St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Sohar, Oman.The visit opened with...
10/06/2026

Bishop Paolo Martinelli has begun his pastoral visit to St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Sohar, Oman.

The visit opened with the installation of the relic of the Porziuncola, a sign of the Franciscan spirit that will mark the coming days, including the inauguration of a path dedicated to the life of St. Francis of Assisi and the celebration of the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, patron of the parish and one of the first disciples of St. Francis.

The church in Sohar is also one of the Jubilee Churches of the Vicariate: until January 10, the faithful will be able to make a pilgrimage to this church and obtain the plenary indulgence.

At the beginning of the visit, during the Eucharistic celebration, Bishop Paolo invited the community to renew its commitment to walking together as a synodal Church, deepening communion, participation, and shared responsibility.

The African Community of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Ghala, joyfully celebrated the feast of its patron saint, St. Matt...
10/06/2026

The African Community of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Ghala, joyfully celebrated the feast of its patron saint, St. Matthias Mulumba, one of the Uganda Martyrs.

The day opened with Mass, celebrated by the priests of the parish, and continued with a festive program featuring cultural performances, music, dances, and traditional African cuisine.

A highlight of the gathering was the keynote address by Fr. George Vadukkut on the life and witness of St. Matthias Mulumba.

Fr. George encouraged everyone to follow the example of the saints, reminding them that holiness is a call addressed to every Christian.

The UAE Pastoral Meeting was held on June 9 at St. Michael’s Church in Sharjah.Read more: https://bit.ly/49JsojOThe meet...
09/06/2026

The UAE Pastoral Meeting was held on June 9 at St. Michael’s Church in Sharjah.

Read more: https://bit.ly/49JsojO

The meeting focused in particular on Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and on how to share its message with the faithful of the Vicariate.

Bishop Paolo Martinelli recalled the value of Christ’s humanity and His unique capacity to reveal the beauty and dignity of human life: “Nothing is more urgent than rediscovering the magnificent humanity of Christ.”

The meeting also addressed the Franciscan Year, the new synodal phase, and communications from the Vicariate Offices.

The AVOSA Pastoral Council gathered today to discuss the life of the Vicariate in recent months, with particular attenti...
06/06/2026

The AVOSA Pastoral Council gathered today to discuss the life of the Vicariate in recent months, with particular attention to liturgical participation, the sense of belonging to the community, the ongoing synodal journey, and upcoming jubilees. The final part of the meeting was dedicated to a first reception of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.

Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

After 10 years of activity, St. Mary’s Catholic High School in Muhaisnah celebrated the graduation of its first students...
05/06/2026

After 10 years of activity, St. Mary’s Catholic High School in Muhaisnah celebrated the graduation of its first students.

Bishop Paolo Martinelli was present at the ceremony, sharing the joy of this important milestone for a school belonging to the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia and entrusted to the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres.

Addressing the graduates, the Bishop encouraged them to look ahead with courage and trust:

“From today, new paths of education, new perspectives of knowledge and commitment open up before you. Be the first that God wants you to be; be fearless in accepting the path that God opens before you, and open your hearts and minds to the beautiful future.”

A new cemetery for the faithful from all the Christian denominations was inaugurated on June 3 in Sharjah.Bishop Paolo M...
04/06/2026

A new cemetery for the faithful from all the Christian denominations was inaugurated on June 3 in Sharjah.

Bishop Paolo Martinelli presided over a short ceremony on behalf of all the Christian communities, and blessed the cemetery and the chapel for funeral services, at the presence of the local authorities.

"The gift of this chapel and this new cemetery clearly demonstrates a profound sense of welcome towards Christians on the part of all local authorities, confirming that the UAE, and especially the Emirate of Sharjah, is a land of welcome and tolerance, a country with a culture of peaceful coexistence and working together for the common good and for a more fraternal and humane world."

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