The Apostolic Nunciature to United Arab Emirates is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in
United Arab Emirates. It is a diplomatic post of the
Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The Apostolic Nuncio to United Arab Emirates was also the
Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait and resided in
Kuwait City
Kuwait City ( ar, مدينة الكويت) is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. Located at the heart of the country on the south shore of Kuwait Bay on the Persian Gulf, it is the political, cultural and economical centre of the emirate, ...
until 2022.
Before the Holy See and United Arab Emirates established diplomatic relations, the Holy See represented its interests in United Arab Emirates through delegations with regional responsibilities, first the
Apostolic Delegation to the Red Sea Region established by
Pope Paul VI on 3 July 1969, and then the
Apostolic Delegation to the Arabian Peninsula established by
Pope John Paul II on 26 March 1992. The Holy See and United Arab Emirates established diplomatic relations on 31 May 2007.
The offices of the nunciature in Abu Dhabi were opened by Archbishop
Edgar Peña Parra on behalf of the Holy See on 4 February 2022. On 03 January 2023,
Pope Francis appointed
Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis
Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis (born 24 August 1968 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a Lebanese Catholic bishop, diplomat, and Maronite archbishop. He currently serves as the Apostolic Nuncio to the United Arab Emirates.
Life
El-Kassis graduated utro ...
, Titular Archbishop of Roselle, as the first nuncio who will reside in the Nunciature in
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area.
...
.
Apostolic Nuncios to United Arab Emirates
*
Paul-Mounged El-Hachem (04 August 2007 – 02 December 2009)
*
Petar Rajič (27 March 2010 – 15 June 2015)
*
Francisco Montecillo Padilla (26 April 2016 – 17 April 2020)
*
Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis
Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis (born 24 August 1968 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a Lebanese Catholic bishop, diplomat, and Maronite archbishop. He currently serves as the Apostolic Nuncio to the United Arab Emirates.
Life
El-Kassis graduated utro ...
(3 January 2023
- present)
See also
*
Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia
The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia ( la, Vicariatus Apostolicus Arabiæ Meridionalis) is an apostolic vicariate of the Catholic Church with territorial jurisdiction for Oman, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The vicar apostolic of the ...
References
{{Subject bar , portal1= Catholicism , portal2=Middle East , portal3= United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
Catholic Church in the United Arab Emirates
Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia
Catholic Church in the Middle East