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Christians in the UAE were on Wednesday urged to join a prayer for peace on Saturday, following a call from Pope Leo XIV.
Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, called on the faithful to respond to the Pope's appeal. On Easter Sunday, the pontiff said he would lead a prayer vigil for peace at St Peter’s Basilica on April 11.
The prayer is expected to take place at 6pm in the Vatican, which is 8pm in the UAE. It is usually streamed online.
Bishop Martinelli said the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia (Avosa), which oversees the Catholic Church in the UAE, Oman and Yemen, was joining the pontiff in the initiative and encouraged all worshippers to “unite spiritually in prayer across parishes, families and communities”.
The call follows the announcement on Tuesday of a US-Iran ceasefire. Since the conflict started on February 28, the UAE has faced missile and drone attacks by Iran, which Tehran claimed were targeting US interests in the region.
Bishop Martinelli said parishes were requested to organise their own services on Saturday, where possible, and that
“The faithful who are not able to join the parish church, are requested to pray in groups or families, the holy rosary or any suitable form of prayer or follow the live streaming from St Peter’s Basilica through the Vatican channel and join the Holy Father in prayer for peace,” said Bishop Martinelli in the statement.
“I wish to remind you once again that the final word in human history will never be violence but mercy and peace.”
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Reverend Father Peter Fernando during the Easter Sunday service at St Therese Church in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Worshippers gather for Easter Sunday Mass at St Michael’s Catholic Church in Sharjah. Despite regional tension, the service proceeded as scheduled, drawing members of the local Christian community together for the annual religious observance. Ahmed Ramzan / The National -
Easter Sunday service at St Therese Church in Abu Dhabi. Hundreds of devoted Christians gathered to pray for peace. Victor Besa / The National -
Worshippers at St Michael’s Catholic Church in Sharjah as the UAE continues to come under attack from Iran. Ahmed Ramzan / The National -
Easter Sunday service at St Therese Church in Abu Dhabi. Parishioners from all corners of the globe who call the UAE home united in a show of solidarity and celebration of their faith. Victor Besa / The National -
Worshippers at St Michael’s Catholic Church in Sharjah. While mindful of the challenges facing the Emirates, churchgoers in Abu Dhabi were grateful for the opportunity to come together to deliver a message of hope. Ahmed Ramzan / The National -
Easter Sunday service at St Therese Church in Abu Dhabi. People did not let the war deter them from marking Easter. Victor Besa / The National -
John Doringo, centre left and his family watch the Easter Sunday Mass online that was streamed by St Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai, at their home in Mirdif. Some churches are closed to the public until further notice as a precautionary measure. Limited Easter services were available to watch online. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Worshippers at St Michael’s Catholic Church in Sharjah. Thousands of Christians across the UAE are marking Easter in the shadow of the Iran war. Ahmed Ramzan / The National -
People at St Michael’s Catholic Church in Sharjah. Some churches introduced precautionary measures for the huge congregations. Ahmed Ramzan / The National -
People at St Michael’s Catholic Church in Sharjah. Easter Sunday marks Jesus' resurrection and is one of the most significant dates in the Christian calendar. Ahmed Ramzan / The National -
The Doringo family watch the Easter Sunday Mass online. Antonie Robertson / The National
Churches in Dubai remain closed. They shut on April 3 in the interests of safety and well-being, church leaders said, over the traditionally busy Easter period.
Worshippers still turned out in their droves at masses in other emirates and some travelled from Dubai to join in-person services.
In his Easter message, Bishop Martinelli reflected on the war and its impact in the UAE.
“Pope Leo has repeatedly called for peace in the region, making us feel his closeness,” he said. “We also thank the local authorities for ensuring our safety.”
The Pope has been a critic of the Iran war. Just before the ceasefire was announced the pontiff said it was “truly unacceptable” to threaten to wipe out Iran’s “whole civilisation”, although he did not mention US Donald Trump by name, AP reported.
Pope Leo called for peace during his first Easter as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. In his first Urbi et Orbi message on Sunday, he said the world was growing “accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it and becoming indifferent”.
“Let those who have weapons lay them down,” he said. “Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace. Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue. Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them.”
