Posted on 11/10/2004 12:17:19 AM PST by weegie
Dubai: A group of worshippers who have had to use churches belonging to other denominations for more than 20 years will soon have their own place.
In a few months, construction will start in Jebel Ali on a church for the UAE’s Greek Orthodox Christian community.
It has all been made possible by the donation of a plot of land by General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence.
Leaders of the Greek Orthodox community in the UAE hope the church, to be named St Mary’s, will be completed in time to celebrate Easter in 2006.
“This is something wonderful – the most important thing possible for our spirituality,” Father Barnaba Missi said.
Fr Missi, a Syrian, moved to the UAE from Kuwait 24 years ago and has conducted services in churches belonging to other branches of Christianity.
“The other churches that have allowed us to worship in their buildings are very good people,” he said. “They have opened their hearts to us and given us somewhere to pray, hold our ceremonies, weddings and baptisms for the past 24 years. However, to have a place of our own in which we can worship will be a huge gift for us and will put us on the map.”
There are regularly as many as 400 people at services in Dubai organised for Greek Orthodox worshippers. In addition, there are up to 200 worshippers when Fr Missi holds gatherings at churches in Sharjah.
During such major Christian festivals as Easter, congregations swell to include nearly 2,000 worshippers.
Building work is set to begin on the church in January or February once plans have been completed and approved.
Fr Missi said the members of the church’s congregation were keen to help with the construction of the building, which he said would have an Orthodox design.
It will be sited on a 1,800-square-metre plot of land given to the church by Shaikh Mohammad.
“We are very happy and very, very thankful to Shaikh Mohammad for this kind gift he has made.
“If somebody doesn’t have a home, and then you give him a home, then you are giving him a great gift and it is the same for us.
“We are very proud to live in this country because it has given us land to make our home. Our church is our spiritual home. We thank God for this gift and we pray for Shaikh Mohammad and for the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.”
Shaikh Mohammad’s generosity towards the Greek Orthodox community follows many similar gestures by the ruling families of the various emirates.
The UAE has more than 20 churches built on land that the ruling families donated in keeping with the country’s policy of promoting tolerance towards non-Muslims.
The late Shaikh Zayed went to great lengths to ensure that people who were members of other religions had freedom of worship.
The money to build the church, the cost of which has not been disclosed, is being financed by the church’s congregation.
This is wonderful!
Saudi is the only country that forbids Christian churches. you will find them in Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait
Churches can exist anywhere, because they don't consist of four walls and Man's approval. God's eyes are on His people, the church that the gaits of hell can't touch.
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