Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral

Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral, Awali, Bahrain

Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral, situated at Awali, Bahrain was consecrated by His Eminence Louis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, the Prefect of the Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples, on 10 December 2021. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Arabia, the patroness of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia.
                                      

His Eminence Louis Antonio Cardinal Tagle consecrating the Cathedral 

The land for the Cathedral and Bishop’s House, approximately 9,000 sqm, was graciously donated by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on 11 February 2013 to the late Bishop Camillo Ballin, the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia. Once the necessary approvals were in place, Bishop Camillo began the work for mobilisation of resources for the project. 

On 19 May 2014, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa visited Pope Francis in the Vatican and presented him with a model of the Cathedral. The foundation stone of the Cathedral was blessed on 31 May 2014. The stone taken from the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica was a gift from the Holy Father to the faithful of the Arabian Peninsula. The groundbreaking ceremony at the site in Awali was held on 10 June 2018 by the Apostolic Nuncio His Grace Archbishop Francisco Padilla in the presence of the Late Bishop Archbishop Camillo Ballin and the officials of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Following Bishop Camillo Ballin’s passing away on 12 April 2020, the project was overseen by His Excellency Bishop Paul Hinder who was appointed by Pope Francis as the Apostolic Administrator of Northern Arabia. 

The Cathedral has a seating capacity of 2300 and takes the shape of a tent with the roof in the shape of an octagonal dome. It is decorated with icons telling the story of the key events of the history of salvation. The Cathedral also has two chapels, a Blessed Sacrament chapel and a chapel within which a life-size statue of Our Lady of Arabia, the Patroness of the Vicariate is enshrined.

                        

Interior of Our Lady of Arabia CathedraI, Awali

The Cathedral has a website where key milestones throughout the history of the project and particulars of the building are captured. 
Source: www.avosa.org