DUBAI (Agencies)
Less than two weeks before Easter, Christians in Qatar got their first church on Friday, the first of five that are to be built in the tiny Gulf state, in a move seen by many as another sign of Doha's efforts to open up to the West as it seeks a bid for the summer Olympic Games in 2016.
Last month, Qatar became the first Arab state to welcome an Israeli athlete for a competition, in a move some observers have linked to its attempts to host the Olympics.
Qatar's emir, Sheik Khalifa Al Thani, personally donated the land to build the US$ 15 million church with 2,700 seats in the outskirts of the capital, Doha, church officials said.
"The opening of the church is an important event for the entire community," said Tomasito Veneracion, the priest for the new parish who is from the Philippines. "We are grateful to the Qatari authorities for having allowed its construction."
The church has no cross, no bell and no steeple. “The idea is to be discreet because we don’t want to inflame any sensitivities. There isn’t even a signboard outside the church,” Veneracion added.
According to British daily Times Online Friday, the sweeping £7.5 million saucer-shaped building, a 15-minute drive into the desert, is considered a victory for Qatar’s fledgeling Roman Catholic community, built with the blessing of the Emir. Cardinal Ivan Dias, the Vatican envoy, is flying in to attend its inauguration along with officials from the Qatari Government.
Other Gulf states Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates host churches that cater to hundreds of thousands of expatriates and, in some cases, tiny local communities.
"Bahrain hosts the first church of the Gulf region, founded in 1906 by American Anglican missionaries," boasted Yussef Haidar, secretary of the Anglican church there.
A number of Catholic and other churches have since been built in Bahrain, and services are held there for followers of denominations that do not have their own premises, he told AFP.
Bahrain has about 1,000 Christian citizens, including a woman member of an appointed consultative council. Saudi Arabia does not have any churches. |
