The Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia () () is an apostolic vicariate of the Catholic Church with territorial jurisdiction for Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The vicar apostolic of the vicariate is Msgr. Aldo Berardi OSsT. It was first established in 1953 (as the Apostolic Prefecture of Kuwait) and took its current name in 2011. The see of the vicar apostolic is in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali, Bahrain, with a co-cathedral, the Holy Family Co-Cathedral, located in Kuwait City.
Statistics
The vicariate serves the peninsular Arabian countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, but there are no churches on Saudi territory. As of 2020, it serves a Catholic population of 2,722,000, which is approximately 6.3% of the total population of the region (43,463,583).
The vicariate comprises 11 parishes and has 54 priests, including 11 diocesan and 43 religious priests. Additionally, there are 1 deacon, 44 brothers, 18 sisters, 1 seminarian, and 61 lay religious who support the vicariate.
History
The apostolic vicariate was established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Kuwait on June 1953, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia. It was promoted on 2 December 1954, as the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait, entitled to a titular bishop. It was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia on 31 May 2011, having gained additional territory from the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia, which was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia.
In January 2011, Pope Benedict XVI through the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments declared the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Arabia patroness of the Northern Vicariate (feast on the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time).
In August 2012, the headquarters of the vicariate was transferred from Kuwait to Bahrain, which is in the centre of the vicariate since it had a more permissive visa policy.
Leadership
Apostolic Prefect of Kuwait
Ubaldo Teofano Stella, OCD (29 June 1953 – 2 December 1954 see below)
Apostolic Vicars of Kuwait
Ubaldo Teofano Stella, OCD (born Italy) (see above 2 December 1954 – retired March 1966), Titular Bishop of Antæopolis (1955.06.04 – death 1978.11.09) Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce, OCD (born Spain) (31 May 1976 – retired 5 November 1981), Titular Bishop of Rusubbicari (1976.05.31 – death 1995.04.04); initially as Apostolic Administrator 1966.03.17 – 1976.05.31 Francis George Adeodatus Micallef, OCD (born Malta) (5 November 1981 – retired 14 July 2005), Titular Bishop of Tinisa in Proconsulari (1981.11.05 – death 2018.01.03) Camillo Ballin, Combonian Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCI) (born Italy) (14 July 2005 – 31 May 2011 see below), Titular Bishop of Arna (2005.07.14 – 2011.05.31)
Apostolic Vicars of Northern Arabia
Camillo Ballin, MCCI (see above 31 May 2011 – death 12 April 2020) Aldo Berardi, OSsT (born France) (18 March 2023 - present )
Apostolic Administrators
Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce OCD (born Spain) (see above 1966.03.17 – 1976.05.31) Paul Hinder, OFMCap (born Switzerland) (13 May 2020 – 18 March 2023) Titular Bishop of Macon, Emeritus'' Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia
Parishes
Kuwait: Holy Family Co - Cathedral in Kuwait City
St. Thérèse Parish in Salmiya
Our Lady of Arabia Parish in Ahmadi
St. Daniel Comboni Parish in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh
Bahrain: Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali
Sacred Heart Church in Manama
St. Arethas Parish
Our Lady of Arabia Parish
Our Lady of Fatima Parish
St. Joseph Parish
Qatar: Church of Our Lady of the Rosary in Doha
St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church in Doha
Coat of arms
The proposal of coat of arms created by Marek Sobola, a heraldic artist from Slovakia. The colors of the new coat of arms are derived from the national colors of the states, which are incorporated into the Vicariate – Bahrain (red), Kuwait (black), Qatar (violet) and Saudi Arabia (green). The letter "M" is the symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Arabia as patron saint of the Northern Vicariate.