Apostolic vicariate Arabia del Sud, United Arab Emirates
Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia del Sud
Arabiae Meridionalis
Latin Church
Latin-rite apostolic vicariate covering the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen, immediately subject to the Holy See. First erected in 1888 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Aden, it took the name Southern Arabia in 2011. Its seat is St. Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi.
On the map
Every see on one map: browse the dioceses. Churches with recorded hours: find Mass times.
- Established
- 1888
- Catholics
- 1,005,600
- Priests
- 69
- Territory
- 929,969 km²
Parishes and churches
20 listed churches in our records. Open a parish for Mass times, confession, directions and sources where recorded.
- St. Joseph's CathedralAbu Dhabi · CathedralView parish
- Holy Spirit ChurchMuscat, OmanView parish
- Mary Help of Christians ChurchSana'a, YemenView parish
- Mother of Perpetual Help ChurchFujairahView parish
- Our Lady of Arabia ChurchUmm Al QuwainView parish
- Sacred Heart of Jesus ChurchHodeidah, YemenView parish
- St. Anthony of Padua ChurchAl Jazeera Al HamraView parish
- St. Anthony of Padua ChurchRas Al KhaimahView parish
- St. Anthony's ChurchSohar, OmanView parish
- St. Francis ChurchAbu DhabiView parish
- St. Francis of Assisi (former Cathedral)Aden, YemenView parish
- St. Francis of Assisi ChurchJebel AliView parish
- St. Francis Xavier ChurchSalalah, OmanView parish
- St. John the Baptist ChurchRuwaisView parish
- St. Mary's ChurchAl AinView parish
- St. Mary's ParishDubaiView parish
- St. Michael's ParishSharjahView parish
- St. Paul's ChurchAbu Dhabi (Mussafah)View parish
- St. Theresa of the Child Jesus ChurchTaiz, YemenView parish
- Sts. Peter and Paul ChurchRuwi, OmanView parish
This is our recorded coverage, not an official diocesan parish count. Confirm service times with the parish before travelling.
The bishop
- Vicar Apostolic
- Paolo Martinelli, O.F.M. Cap.
- Born
- 22 April 1942
- Birthplace
- Lanterswill-Steherenberg
- Institute
- ORDINE FRANCESCANO FRATI MINORI CAPPUCCINI (O.F.M. Cap.)
Explore the ministry of the bishop.
The cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral, Abu Dhabi stands in Arabia del Sud, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.
On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.
History
Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen all fall under the territorial jurisdiction of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia (Latin: Vicariatus Apostolicus Arabiæ Meridionalis; Arabic: النيابة الرسولية لجنوب شبه الجزيرة العربية). First established in 1888 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Aden, it took its current name in 2011. The vicar apostolic, presently Paolo Martinelli, has his see at Saint Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi, a cathedral in the care of the Capuchins of Florence since 1916.