“I love you Pope Francis,” was the refrain among tearful worshippers who came to church to pray on learning of the death of the head of the Roman Catholic Church on Monday.
Special services will be held during the week to celebrate his life and offer prayers for eternal peace for Pope Francis, who has died at the age of 88.
“All I can say is, ‘I love you Pope Francis. I love him so much,” said Roleth Manghnani, a Filipina who was among several people who visited St Mary’s Church in Dubai to say a prayer on Monday. “He brought calmness to my faith. I feel he was so real.”
Pope Francis was my happy place
Roleth Manghnani,
a Dubai resident
The Dubai resident, who works with people with disabilities and has lived in the UAE for nearly 30 years, said every Catholic had learnt lessons from the Pope’s humility and humanity, and his efforts to bring peace between religions. “It’s so sad that he left, he will be sorely missed,” she said, wiping away tears.
Stay humble
The Filipino citizen was among tens of thousands of Catholics who gathered in Abu Dhabi for the largest outdoor mass the country has seen, during the Pope’s landmark 2019 visit. She was at the mass along with her children and sisters and remembers posting a video that showed how close she got to him when he entered the stadium in Abu Dhabi.
“It's so holy for me that I saw him face to face,” she said.
She regularly tuned in when he addressed the public in Rome, and remembers his teachings “to be humble in life, to know how to sacrifice if times get rough and tough. I always listen when he goes live in the Vatican. He’s like a happy place for me," she said.
Others spoke of how watching the Pope washing the feet of the poor and living a simple life taught them life lessons. Pope Francis chose not to live in ornate papal apartments in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, and instead resided in a modest two-room residence in the Vatican guesthouse.
“He was of the people and that made a difference to us regular people,” said Jonita Carlita, an Indian teacher. “I often related to my students and my children how unlike other popes he did not stay in a grand home but always wanted to remember his roots. He was one of the most important voices for peace and his absence will be deeply felt.”
Touched lives
Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s Church, said people were moved to tears because of the connection they felt with the Pope.
“He meant everything to people. He was a compassionate, understanding leader who touched all our lives,” he said. “His visit to the UAE was historic. He touched the hearts of people and it’s no wonder they are in tears because he mattered to them.”
In Abu Dhabi, during the evening mass at St Joseph’s Cathedral, Bishop Paolo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar for Southern Arabia, told parishioners the Pope’s teachings, his UAE visit and signing of the Document of Human Fraternity, with the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, showed his deep commitment to peace.
“His visit here to Abu Dhabi in February 2019 is unforgettable for us,” the Bishop said. “We all remember his visit to our Cathedral of Saint Joseph here in Abu Dhabi, his tenderness, the way in which he met so many of you.
“His visit to Abu Dhabi will remain unforgettable also for the signing of the prophetic document on human fraternity, on dialogue between people of different faiths to promote peace in the world and build a more fraternal world.”
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
