Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia
Encyclopedia
The Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Arabia is a Roman Catholic apostolic vicariate
located in the United Arab Emirates
. It is a territorial jurisdiction of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
covering the following countries of the Arabian Peninsula
and surrounding region: Oman
, United Arab Emirates
, and Yemen
. The superior of the vicariate is the Swiss born Bishop
Paul Hinder OFM Cap
. It was established in 1888 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Aden and changed to its current name in 2011. The See of the jurisdiction was in Aden until 1973, when it was transferred to St. Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi
. Since 1916 it has been in the care of the Capuchins
of Florence
.
by Pope Pius IX
on 21 January, 1875. It was made into a vicariate Apostolic on 25 April, 1888, by Pope Leo XIII
as the Vicariate Apostolic of Aden, located in Yemen. On the 28 June, 1889 the name was changed to the Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia. On 29 June, 1953, the Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait was separated from the Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia.
The vicariate was governed by the Capuchin
friars, though Franciscan
sisters have also been involved, especially in the beginning.
From 1889 until 31 May 2011, it covered the following countries of the Arabian Peninsula
and surrounding region: Bahrain
, Oman
, Saudi Arabia
, Qatar
, United Arab Emirates
, Somaliland
and Yemen
, an area of over 1200000 square miles (3,107,985.7 km²) under the name Roman Catholic Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia. There were Catholic parishes in all these countries with the exception of Saudi Arabia and Somaliland, where the public practice of non-Islamic religions is forbidden.
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
located in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. It is a territorial jurisdiction of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
covering the following countries of the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
and surrounding region: Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. The superior of the vicariate is the Swiss born Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Paul Hinder OFM Cap
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
. It was established in 1888 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Aden and changed to its current name in 2011. The See of the jurisdiction was in Aden until 1973, when it was transferred to St. Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
. Since 1916 it has been in the care of the Capuchins
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
History
Formerly part of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Gallas, the Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia was formed as a prefecturePrefecture
A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
on 21 January, 1875. It was made into a vicariate Apostolic on 25 April, 1888, by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
as the Vicariate Apostolic of Aden, located in Yemen. On the 28 June, 1889 the name was changed to the Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia. On 29 June, 1953, the Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait was separated from the Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia.
The vicariate was governed by the Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
friars, though Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
sisters have also been involved, especially in the beginning.
From 1889 until 31 May 2011, it covered the following countries of the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
and surrounding region: Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, an area of over 1200000 square miles (3,107,985.7 km²) under the name Roman Catholic Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia. There were Catholic parishes in all these countries with the exception of Saudi Arabia and Somaliland, where the public practice of non-Islamic religions is forbidden.
Population
- Total population as of 2004: 47,760,669
- Total Catholic population as of 2004: 1,300,500 (2.7% of the whole)
- Parishes: 20
- Total priests (diocesan and religious): 45
- Catholics per priest: 28,900
Ordinaries
- Louis-Callixte Lasserre, O.F.M. Cap. ( 1886 Appointed - April 1900 Resigned)
- Bernard Thomas Edward Clark (21 March 1902 Appointed - 18 June 1910 Appointed, Bishop of Port Victoria o SeychellesRoman Catholic Diocese of Port Victoria o SeychellesThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Port Victoria o Seychelles is a Catholic diocese located in the city of Victoria, the capital city of the Seychelles. The Dicoese of Port Victoria o Seychelles is the only Catholic diocese in the country.-History:...
) - Raffaele Presutti, O.F.M. Cap. (13 September 1910 Appointed - 1915 Died)
- Evangelista Latino Enrico Vanni, O.F.M. Cap. (15 April 1916 Appointed - 1925 Resigned)
- Pacifico Tiziano Micheloni, O.F.M. Cap. (25 April 1933 Appointed - 6 July 1936 Died)
- Giovanni Tirinnanzi, O.F.M. Cap. (2 July 1937 Appointed - 27 January 1949 Died)
- Irzio Luigi Magliacani, O.F.M. Cap. (25 December 1949 Appointed - 1969 Retired)
- Giovanni Bernardo Gremoli, O.F.M. Cap. (2 October 1975 Appointed - 21 March 2005 Retired)
- Paul Hinder, O.F.M. Cap. (21 March 2005 Appointed - current)