![Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (R) and sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (C) arrive at Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral ahead of its opening in Awali, south of Manama, on December 9. The church is the largest Roman Catholic cathedral in the Arabian Peninsula. [Mazen Mahdi/AFP]](/cnmi_am/images/2021/12/24/33172-bahrain-church-2-700_496.webp)
![Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (C) inaugurates Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral in Awali, south of Manama, on December 9. [Mazen Mahdi/AFP]](/cnmi_am/images/2021/12/24/33174-bahrain-church-3-700_496.webp)
![A choir sings during the opening of Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral in Awali, south of Manama, on December 9. [Mazen Mahdi/AFP]](/cnmi_am/images/2021/12/24/33173-bahrain-church-choir-700_496.webp)
![A picture shows a view of Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral in Bahrain, which was inaugurated on December 9 as the biggest Catholic church in the Arabian peninsula. [Mazen Mahdi/AFP]](/cnmi_am/images/2021/12/24/33175-bahrain-church-4-700_496.webp)
![Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (C) gifts a replica of Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral to Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa (R) during its inauguration in Awali, south of Manama, on December 9. [Mazen Mahdi/AFP]](/cnmi_am/images/2021/12/24/33176-bahrain-church-6-700_496.webp)
MANAMA -- Against the backdrop of mosque minarets and a desert oil field, the biggest Catholic church in the Arabian peninsula opened its doors in Bahrain this month -- just in time for the Christmas holiday.
The cavernous Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, which seats 2,300 people, will serve the majority-Muslim Gulf country's small Catholic community.
It was inaugurated December 9, more than eight years after King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa donated 9,000 square metres of land for the initiative.
"We're happy for this church," Bahrain-based priest Father Charbel Fayad said. "It will be for the spiritual needs and spiritual health of all the people."
![A general view shows Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral during its inauguration in Awali south of the Bahraini capital Manama on December 9. [Mazen Mahdi/AFP]](/cnmi_am/images/2021/12/24/33171-bahrain-church-1-700_496.webp)
A general view shows Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral during its inauguration in Awali south of the Bahraini capital Manama on December 9. [Mazen Mahdi/AFP]
The modern-style church, with two tiers of seating, lies about 1.6km from a large mosque and a stone's throw from an oil well, in the south of the state.
The Vatican estimates Bahrain has some 80,000 Catholics, mainly workers from India and the Philippines. But the new complex will also be a destination for the more than 2 million-strong Catholic community in the wider Arab Gulf.
"Christians and non-Christians, all are children of God and they are all welcome here in this beautiful church," Father Charbel said.
Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, chairman of the board of trustees of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Co-existence, said in a speech during the ceremony, "This historic event confirms Bahrain's keenness on tolerance and peaceful co-existence between different religions."
Bahrain has a long history of "tolerance, peaceful co-existence, respect for others, and respect for all religions and beliefs", he added.
Bahraini King Hamad has adopted many initiatives to promote a culture of tolerance and co-existence at the local and global levels, including hosting events to promote dialogue between religions, civilisations and cultures.
Earlier this month, King Hamad extended an invitation to Pope Francis to visit Bahrain.
