Christianity returning to Arabian
Gulf First
church in Qatar in 14 centuries, to be inaugurated
on March 15 next
year Christianity is retuning to the Persian Gulf, thanks
to the liberal approach of the current rulers in the Muslim states of Qatar and United Arab Emirates. While war is
taking its toll in the Holy Land with the number of Christians dwindling in
Iraq and Lebanon, Christianity is returning to the Middle East centering around
the large expatiate population who are working in the oil-rich gulf countries.
The majority Muslim country of Qatar which has
a head count of 1,20, 000 Christian population will inaugurate its Our Lady of
Rosary church on March 15 next year.
Presently church
services are being run in different
schools and at the parish
centre. Activities at the parish centre and different schools ill end on Feb 1 night with
parishioners making their way to the new church and at the toll of midnight
the faithful will usher in the beginning
of services at the new church.
Father Tom Veneration speaking during Sunday mass
announcement informed the formal
inauguration of the church premises will take place on March 15 200 and the start of the
religious services will begin from February 1.
"You are all part of history," said Fr. Tom
to the parishioners in reference to the first church in Qatar while
giving details of the church inauguration.
The church constructed at a cost of US$15m has been
funded by Catholics throughout the Arabian Peninsula
–and was earlier scheduled to open at the end of this year but has been pushed
back by one more month.
The land for the Roman Catholic Church centre has been
donated by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who came to
power in 1995. The Church center will include conference facilities, temporary
living accommodations, a library, and a café............................................. moremore
More summaries about the Qatar church inauguration on February 1 2008