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November 26, 2024His Excellency Bishop Paolo Martinelli OFM Cap, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia welcomed His Beatitude, Archbishop Raphael Thattil, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church on Monday, 25 November 2024 in Muscat, Oman. Mgr Thattil is on an eight-day visit to the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia after being elected the Major Archbishop earlier this year, becoming the head of all the Syro-Malabar faithful in the world. Accompanied by Bishop Paolo Martinelli, the Major Archbishop is visiting on Monday the Parishes of Ruwi and Ghala in Muscat to meet the Syro-Malabar faithful and celebrate the Holy Qurbana with them. On Tuesday, Bishop Paolo and the Major Archbishop will visit Salalah to meet the Syro-Malabar faithful and celebrate the Holy Qurbana as well. On the 27th, the two prelates will come to Abu Dhabi to continue the visit to the parishes in the UAE.
The Major Archbishop recently concluded his visit to the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia and is starting his visit to the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, the 2 vicariates of the Mission of the Church in the Gulf.
The mission in the Gulf was started in the early 19th century with the Ius Commissionis given to the Capuchin Order who, since then, has brought in friars from different parts of the world to serve the pastoral needs of the faithful. Priests come from different countries, with a majority, just like the faithful, from India and Philippines, including priests from different Sui Iuris Churches.
The Church in the gulf is unique with all the different rites living together in unity under one local Church, with one Bishop to guide them. It is a perfect example of the Catholicity of the Church, which Pope Francis referred to as a “polyphony of faith” in his Homily in the Zayed Stadium when he visited Abu Dhabi in 2019. The Holy Father said “You who are here know the Gospel’s tune and you follow its rhythm with enthusiasm. You are a choir composed of numerous nations, languages and rites; a diversity that the Holy Spirit loves and wants to harmonize ever more, in order to make a symphony. This joyful polyphony of faith is a witness that you give everyone and that builds up the Church.”
In his welcome address Mons. Martinelli stressed that “as we have faithful from different Sui Iuris Churches and from many nations and languages, collaboration with all the other faithful is the most important virtue for our vicariate. In this way a sincere exchange of gifts takes place among our faithful, as was recommended by the recent assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome on how to be an outgoing synodal church.”
The Apostolic Vicariate serves with importance the faithful of the Sui Iuris Churches. The first resident Syro-Malabar priest came to the Gulf mission more than three decades ago. Presently there are around 60 priests in the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, out of which 13 priests are of the Syro-Malabar rite to serve the pastoral needs of Syro-Malabar faithful, and 5 of the Syro-Malabar priests are holding the office of Parish Priest out of the 13 parishes in the Vicariate. The Syro-Malabar faithful make about 5% of the Catholic population of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia.
This is an important visit for the prelate of the Syro-Malabar Church as it is the maiden visit after his election to the Major Archbishop’s office. Preparation have been made for a fruitful visit of the Prelate with the help of the clergy and the faithful in the Apostolic Vicariate. The Major Archbishop will continue his visit in some of the parishes in the UAE accompanied by Bishop Paolo Martinelli.
This is a moment of grace not only for the Syro-Malabar faithful but for the whole Church in the Gulf to give witness to the Joy of the Gospel. In his welcome address, the Apostolic Vicar told Archbishop Thatill: “your presence among us is a great gift and blessing for the Syro-Malabar faithful but also for the Vicariate, as we are all called to bear witness to Christ through love and unity among all the disciples as Jesus prayed, “that they may be one so that the world may believe”. May the Lord make us capable of being his credible witnesses in the world.”
