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Catholic Churches in the United Arab Emirates

According to Pew Research, some 10% of the population in the U.A.E. is Catholic. Most Catholics in the United Arab Emirates are foreign workers, notably from heavily Catholic countries such as the Philippines. Although a Muslim-dominated country, the government has a policy of tolerance toward other religions.

The Catholic churches in the United Arab Emirates fall under the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, which includes United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen. Of these three, the U.A.E. is the most stable at this time in history. And, it is in the U.A.E., that Catholics are free to worship without fear of discrimination or persecution.

Due to the many foreign workers who come to this oil-reach country looking for work, many of the Catholic churches offer Masses in their native languages as well as Arabic and English.

Note to all travelers:  Laws concerning alcohol consumption, public displays of affection, dress, etc. are much more strict than western nations, so you should make yourself aware of these in advance.

The main Catholic churches in the United Arab Emirates are:

Abu Dhabi: Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church

Al Ain: Saint Mary’s Catholic Church

Dubai: Saint Mary’s Catholic Church

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