Posted on 07/17/2018 4:04:44 AM PDT by marshmallow
Construction, which began with the ground-breaking ceremony, is set to last until 2021. Once completed, it will be the reference point for the community of northern Arabia. In addition to the church, it will have a residential area for the episcopal curia, a guest house and educational facilities. A time capsule was placed in its foundations with the history of the local Church and Christians.
Manama (AsiaNews) – The Church of Bahrain and the Gulf recently celebrated the formal start of the construction of the new cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, patron saint of the Arabian Peninsula.
The new place of worship, which will meet the needs of the local Christian community composed mainly of economic migrants and seasonal workers, includes a multifunctional centre that can host social, educational and cultural events.
Situated some 20 km from the capital, Manama, the compound will have a church. It will be connected to a building that will be the home to the episcopal curia and include a guest house, educational and pastoral outreach facilities as well as administrative offices.
The land was donated by the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The ground-breaking ceremony was held on 10 June and construction should be completed by the end of 2021.
The cathedral, under the patronage of Our Lady of Arabia, will be a concrete testimony of the Christian presence in one of the most powerful monarchies of the mostly Muslim Gulf and region.
As the country’s second place of Christian worship, the cathedral will be able to accommodate up to 2,000 people and will serve as the see of the Church for the northern Persian Gulf.
The inauguration ceremony, with the laying of the first stone, was a time of celebration for the whole community that gathered to hear........
(Excerpt) Read more at asianews.it ...
God willing, Christianity will find its way back into these former Christian (now Islamic) lands. Time for some peace and sanity to return to the Middle East. Islam has ruled in chaos for far too long.
Amen and SECOND it.
A miracle it is even getting built at all.
Sadly, no cross or crucifix will be on permanent display.
But at least it is getting built.
Wow great!
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