UAE | General
A rich heritage of religious tolerance
The UAE has always been magnanimous in its efforts to make people of various faiths feel at home, as evident from the many churches in Abu Dhabi
- By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:54 November 13, 2008
- A service in progress at the Marthoma Church in Mussaffah.
- Image Credit: Abdul Rahman/Gulf News
Abu Dhabi: The UAE has always been tolerant to various faiths and religions. The late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan had allocated land for places of worship for various communities.
St George Orthodox Cathedral
Jose Kurian Puliyeri, an Indian expatriate who left Abu Dhabi last week after many years of stay, said his association with a church gave him "self confidence" during his 39 years here.
"I was associated with St George Orthodox Cathedral," he said. He came to Abu Dhabi in October 1969.
"In those days, the main activity during Christmas was carol singing. It used to start about 60 to 75 days before Christmas", he said. He witnessed the growth of the church from a small congregation to the construction of its own building on a plot in Khalidiya here. The plot was allotted by the late Shaikh Zayed. Work for the church had begun on August 6, 1970, and it was completed on December 1, 1971.
"I still remember the announcement at the church to have special prayers for this country as the Rulers were finalising the formation of the UAE", said Puliyeri. "All the members of the Church were well acquainted with the Arab customs and traditions and they helped me familiarise myself with them".
In 1982, the Church was later shifted from Khalidiya to its present site on Air Port Road. Today, it has a membership of 1,250 families.
St Joseph's Catholic Church
St Joseph's Catholic Church, located between Karama street and Airport Road, has more than 100,000 expatriate Catholics from all over the world. The foundation for the first Church in Abu Dhabi was done in 1962 on a plot of land along the present Corniche. The plot was donated by the late Shaikh Shakhbut, the then ruler of Abu Dhabi, and on February 19, 1965, the first Church was inaugurated.
On March 19, 1981, construction for the church in its current shape was started, following the then Ruler's decision that the church and its associated schools be moved to a different location. The inauguration of the new complex took place on February 25, 1983, in the presence of the late Shaikh Shakhbut.
St Andrew's Episcopal Church
St Andrew's Episcopal Church, an Anglican church in the UAE capital, traces its origin as far back as 1958. The church was built upon land generously provided by the late Shaikh Zayed. The original gift of the plot of land on the Corniche was made in 1966. The first Anglican service held in Abu Dhabi was on December 27, 1958. The Church on the Corniche was consecrated in February 1968. The move to the present site was made in 1984. St Andrew's Church is an Anglican foundation. It has the special privilege to share its facilities with a number of other churches and groups in Abu Dhabi. They all contribute to its finances, which are quite independent of the UK. The complex, entirely self-supporting, is managed by the Chaplain and the Church Council.
Evangelical Community Church
The Evangelical Community Church in Abu Dhabi, established in 1972, has a membership of about 1,600 English-speaking people from different parts of the world, said Cameron Arensen, Senior Pastor. "We have an average attendance of 1,000 worshippers at weekly prayers," Arensen said. "About 60 congregations from different nationalities also share our centre ... The overall attendance could be about 5,000 a week".
The church had shifted its premises twice - from Hamdan Street to the Eid Gah area in 1975 and again to its present premises on Airport Road, in 1994. The first phase of renovation was completed in February 2008, while the second phase is expected to be finished by August 2009.
"We conduct bible studies for different age groups regularly", said Arensen, from the US, whose association with the church dates back to 1990.
Marthoma Church
The Marthoma Church, an Indian church in Mussaffah which has a history of 38 years, is making worshippers socially active, in addition to offering spiritual activities, said Rev. Thomas Kurien Anchery, the vicar of the church. "Apart from 25 prayer groups, the 1,500 families who come to the church are associated with a number of social organisations like Sunday School [for children], Youth League, Sevika Sangham for women and Parish Mission for voluntary activities. Senior Citizens' Fellowship, a group of seniors aged above 60 years, has more than 25 members," Anchery added.
The church arranges family counselling sessions for people who are stressed out. "Job-related problems and financial matters make people stressed out, leading to family problems. Even children are under stress," said Anchery, who is also a professional counsellor.
Contact deatils: Oldest churches in Abu Dhabi
- St Joseph's Church — (02) 4461929
- Evangelical Community Church (ECC) — (02) 4464563
- St Andrew's Church – (02) 4461631.
- St George Orthodox Cathedral — (02) 4464564
- The Marthoma Church — (02) 4464562
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