The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia is an apostolic vicariate of the Catholic Church with territorial jurisdiction for Oman, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The vicar apostolic of the vicariate is Paolo Martinelli. It was first established in 1888 (as the Apostolic Vicariate of Aden) and took its current name in 2011. The see of the vicar apostolic is in St. Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi. Since 1916 it has been in the care of the Capuchins of Florence.

History

The territory was originally part of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Gallas, but it was separated into an apostolic prefecture by Pope Pius IX on 21 January 1875. On 25 April 1888, Pope Leo XIII made the Apostolic Vicariate of Aden, located in Yemen. On the 28 June 1889, the name was changed to the Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia, responsible for the countries of the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding region: Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Somalia and Yemen. On 29 June 1953, the then Apostolic Prefecture of Kuwait (which has become the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia) was separated from the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia. In 1973, the see of the jurisdiction was transferred from Aden to St. Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi. A subsequent redrawing of boundaries in 2011 reduced its jurisdiction to the countries of Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The vicariate has been governed by the Capuchin friars since 1916.

Apostolic Vicars of Arabia

Apostolic Vicars of Southern Arabia

Statistics

Area

Population

List of churches under the jurisdiction of the vicar

United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi - St. Joseph's Cathedral and St. Francis Church, Abu Dhabi Mussafah - St. Paul's Church Al Ain - St. Mary's Church Ruwais - St. John the Baptist Church Dubai - St. Mary's Catholic Church Jebel Ali - St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Sharjah - St. Michael's Catholic Church Ras Al Khaimah - St. Anthony of Padua Church Fujairah - Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church

Oman

Muscat - Holy Spirit Church, Sts. Peter and Paul Church Salalah - St. Francis Xavier Church Sohar - St. Anthony's Church

Yemen

Aden - Proto-Cathedral St. Francis of Assisi Hodeidah - Sacred Heart Church Sana'a - St. Mary Help of Christians Church Taiz - St. Therese of the Child Jesus Church