Tag: Our Lady of Arabia

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Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Visit Kuwait for Historic Proclamation of Our Lady of Arabia as Minor Basilica

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and the Holy See’s highest-ranking diplomatic representative, will undertake an official visit to Kuwait from January 14 to 16, 2026, as announced by the Vatican’s embassy. The visit forms part of the celebrations marking a historic moment for the Catholic Church in the Gulf—the proclamation of the Parish Church of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi as a Minor Basilica.

Cardinal Parolin will preside over the proclamation ceremony on Friday, January 16, 2026. The title of Minor Basilica is conferred by the Pope in recognition of a church’s historical, spiritual, and pastoral significance, and the elevation of Our Lady of Arabia holds exceptional importance as it becomes the first Minor Basilica in the Arabian Peninsula.

The Church of Our Lady of Arabia is widely regarded as the mother church of Kuwait. Its roots date back to 1948, when the first chapel was established to serve the growing Catholic community. The present church was constructed in 1957 as a gift from the Kuwait Oil Company and has since stood as a spiritual home for Catholics of diverse nationalities living and working in the region.

Over the decades, the church has played a central role in nurturing faith, fostering unity, and providing pastoral care in the Gulf. Its proclamation as a Minor Basilica marks not only a recognition of its legacy but also a powerful symbol of continuity, coexistence, and religious heritage in the Arabian Peninsula.

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Kuwait: Our Lady of Arabia Elevated to Minor Basilica

allycaralgoa

The Catholic Church in the Gulf has reached a historic milestone with the elevation of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia, located in Ahmadi, Kuwait, to the rank of Minor Basilica. The decree, promulgated on June 28 by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, officially recognizes the church’s spiritual and pastoral importance.

Speaking to Vatican News, Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, expressed profound joy over this recognition. He recalled that the church was established in 1948 through the efforts of the Carmelites and built by the Kuwait Oil Company for workers in the petroleum industry. In 2023, the parish celebrated its 75th anniversary.

“This church has always been a place of spiritual meaning,” Bishop Berardi said. “Here, migrants and those who came to work in the country have been able to practice their faith under the protection of Our Lady.”

The church holds particular importance as the home of the statue of Our Lady of Arabia, originally dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Blessed by Pope Pius XII in Rome in 1949 and later crowned by Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera in 2011 on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, the statue is a symbol of devotion for Catholics in the region.

In a predominantly Muslim country where religious imagery is restricted, the presence of a Marian statue carries profound meaning for the faithful. “It is a shrine of great devotion,” Bishop Berardi emphasized, “and now its historical and pastoral significance is officially recognized.”

The elevation to Minor Basilica status strengthens the Church of Our Lady of Arabia’s role as a spiritual beacon for Catholics in Kuwait and the wider Gulf, offering a deeper bond with the universal Church.