Asia/Bahrain – “The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia is a symbol of freedom and religious coexistence”
Friday, January 19, 2024
AP
Awari (Agenzia Fides) – The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awari, in addition to its primarily religious nature, is also known as the Cathedral of the Desert and is home to thousands of people, migrants, workers and people. It’s a place to welcome and share. family, youth.
Fides met Father Saji Thomas, OFM Cap, dean of the Cathedral of St. Joseph, Kerala, India, who has been working as a missionary in Bahrain since 2013.
“This has been a wonderful and enriching experience for me,” says the Capuchin monk, who arrived in Bahrain on December 4, 2013 at the request of the religious superiors. “Every day I meet different nationalities, cultures and languages. “We share the love of Christ.As Dean of the Cathedral, I administer the sacraments, provide pastoral care, and visit us. , meeting the needs of all those who pray together.”
“Also, many tourists come from different countries to visit the cathedral. We explain to them the meaning and importance of this our sacred place. The cathedrals of Bahrain are free and a symbol of religious coexistence. We organize many spiritual activities here. ”, retreats, training courses, and above all, Aldo Berardi, Vicar of the Pope of Northern Arabia on October 24, 2023 We are making many pilgrimages in preparation for the Jubilee Year inaugurated by the Bishop. ”
“The cathedral itself is not a parish, the pastor explains. Every day, hundreds of people attend Mass celebrated with different rites. Basically we have Latin, Maronite, Syro On weekdays, about 100 people attend mass, but on weekends (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays), 2,000 to 3,000 people gather, and during Christmas, New Year, Easter, etc. More than 3,000 people attend church services during the holiday season. ”
Father Saji points out the “pilgrim” character of the Bahrain Church, which is a “transitional church” where priests, nuns, and even bishops mainly come from other countries, and examines the current socio-economic situation involving the faithful. . “The global economy is facing major challenges that are rapidly impacting people. Many people have lost their jobs or not been paid, making it difficult for them to manage their daily lives. “There are,” he emphasizes. “Furthermore, Capuchin explains that migration, which involves everyone in search of a better life, is unfortunately often fraught with many problems.” But by a fake agency that sends them here. “When they arrive, they often can’t go home because they don’t have a job and have sold everything to pay the agency.” Fr Saji concluded that the existence of this leads to the loss of the original culture. Young people try to adapt to other cultures and in the process lose the basic values that they were brought up with. ”
His father, Saji Thomas, is from Vadakhand (Kerala) and he is the second of three children. He attended a local school and, thanks to the diocese to which he belonged, came into contact with the Capuchins, and was so charmed by their charism that, after leaving school, he entered the religious path. After his ordination, he served as a mission for about 12 years in the states of Assam and Meghalaya in northeastern India. “It was a very emotional experience for me,” he declares. “The language, the culture, the geography, everything was new. The transportation system and roads were very unstable, but during my 12 years of missionary work in remote areas of India, I was able to teach the local people about Jesus Christ. I remember them being tolerant and very kind.” (AP/ST) (Agenzia Fides, January 19, 2023)
AP
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