by Father Jolly Vadakken*
Kuwait City – I have received my letter of appointment as Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful in the Arabian Peninsula from the Vatican Secretariat of State. It was delivered to me by Raphael Thattil, the Syro-Malabar Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly. The official appointment was publicly announced on November 18, 2025, in the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda and on Mount St. Thomas in Kakkanad .
I am called to carry out my ministry in close communion and collaboration with the Apostolic Vicars of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi OO.SS.T., and Southern Arabia, Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFM Cap., and I examine the pastoral situation, develop concrete solutions for the good of the faithful, and report regularly to the Apostolic See on the progress of the mission. Both Bishop Berardi and Bishop Martinelli welcomed my appointment with joy, and during a joint meeting in the Co-Cathedral of Kuwait on December 21, 2025, we constructively discussed the task entrusted to me. On the same day, we also met with the Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Eugene Martin Nugent. From that moment on, my mission on the Arabian Peninsula began.
The Syro-Malabar faithful in the Gulf
The narrative of the Syro-Malabar Catholic community in the Arabian Peninsula is inextricably linked to the region’s economic transformation. Following the discovery of oil, a second wave of Christianity began to flow into the desert sands—not through traditional missions, but through the hands and hearts of a migrant labour force.
Among these pioneers were the Syro-Malabar Catholics. While their presence began as a quiet trickle in the 1970s, it swelled into a vibrant community by the 1990s. Initially, their spiritual needs were met by the existing Latin Rite Apostolic Vicariates. However, as a community deeply rooted in ancient spiritual practices centred on the parish and the home, these faithful naturally began to seek their own liturgical expressions.
There was, however, a growing pastoral concern: separated from their mother church, many Syro-Malabar families and children were being formed exclusively in the Latin Rite, causing them to drift away from their unique Eastern heritage. This cultural and liturgical vacuum also provided an opening for various ecclesial sects, leading some to stray from their Catholic roots toward Protestant denominations.
Syro-Malabar faithful in Kuwait
When Kuwait was invaded by Iraq in 1991, the sudden outbreak of war forced countless migrant families to return to their native lands. This displacement led to a painful realization: many found themselves strangers to their own mother church.Having spent years abroad, the younger generation was unfamiliar with Syro-Malabar rituals and prayers. Despite the Second Vatican Council’s affirmation of the importance of returning to one’s spiritual roots, the faithful in the Gulf found that, in practice, preserving their ritual patrimony was a daunting challenge and task amidst the pressures of migration and war.
As the region entered a period of rebuilding post-1993, a new surge of migration followed. The economic boom in Dubai and the reconstruction of Kuwait drew Syro-Malabar Catholics back in even greater numbers. Determined to safeguard their heritage and protect the community from proselytization, the faithful took a historic step toward self-organization. Lay associations were registered under the respective Indian Embassies as Cultural Movements, so that legal protection would be available for the activities. On December 1, 1995, the SMCA Kuwait was established as the first formal lay association, a model that was soon mirrored by similar movements in Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Oman. These associations became the heartbeat of the community. They did far more than organize social gatherings; they became the primary instruments for engaging in continuous, respectful dialogue with the Latin Vicariate bishops to secure pastoral care in the Syro Malabar Rite.
Establishing programs to form the youth in their rich spiritual patrimony, ensuring the cultural and liturgical legacy was passed to the next generation and creating a healthy support network to assist the needy within the migrant community. Through the resilience of these lay movements, the Syro-Malabar faithful in the Gulf have transformed from a displaced workforce into a thriving, organized community, firmly anchored in their ancient faith while contributing to the modern development of their host nations.
Statistics of the Syro-Malabar faithful in Kuwait
Total Population: 4.3 Million
Total Indian Population in Kuwait: 0.85 million
Total Catholic Population: 400, 000
Syro Malabar Catholics: Ca 40,000
4 Parishes in Kuwait
1.Holy Family Co-Cathedral Kuwait city
2.Our Lady of Arabia Parish Ahmadi, Kuwait
3.St. Therese of Child Jesus Parish, Salmiya, Kuwait
4.St. Daniel Comboni Parish, Abbasiya Kuwait
Across all four parishes, the heartbeat of the Syro-Malabar community remains vibrant. However, this spiritual growth is currently met with significant physical and logistical challenges.
In Abbasiya, the sheer scale of our community is breathtaking, with 2,460 children enrolled in catechism. Yet, this blessing comes with acute constraints. Due to the lack of classroom facilities, the children must be divided into four separate batches. The available basement space has long been insufficient for our liturgical services and communal activities; most recently, the situation has grown critical as legal authorities have closed the Abbasiya basement entirely. A similar hardship is felt in Salmiya, where we rely on leased basement spaces to conduct both our sacred liturgy and the faith formation of our youth. While we remain profoundly aware of the complex legal and governmental formalities involved, the need for adequate infrastructure, expanded worship space, and functional parking has become an urgent necessity.
A beautiful hallmark of our Syro-Malabar identity is the “Family Unit.” These small domestic ecclesial communities, comprising 30 to 40 families, gather monthly in alternating homes to share the Word of God and enjoy Christian fellowship.
St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church Doha, Qatar
St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Doha holds a unique place of honor as the only church in the Arabian Peninsula with a distinct and independent Syro-Malabar identity. More than just a building, it serves as a true spiritual home, offering liturgical, pastoral, and social guidance to the Syro Malabar faithful in Qatar. The church was solemnly consecrated on 22 May 2009 by the late Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, then Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church.
The spiritual life of the parish is dynamic, with three Holy Masses celebrated daily and five Holy Masses on Fridays to accommodate the large community. Faith formation is a primary mission; currently, 2,544 students from grades 1 to 12 attend Friday catechism classes. A dedicated team of over 180 teachers serves as faith formatters, ensuring the next generation is raised in the authentic traditions and teachings of the Syro-Malabar Church.The parish is alive with the vitality and vigour of numerous pious organizations and apostolic movements.
Furthermore, 28 active family units meet monthly within the church premises, fostering a deep sense of fellowship and keeping the communal spirit of the parish strong.
Statistics of Syro Malabar faithful in Doha
Total population of Qatar: 2.7 Million
Total Indian Population : 0.70 Million
Total Catholic population: 350,000
Syro-Malabar Catholic: 35,000
Registered membership: 17,900
Number of families: 3500
Number of bachelors and singles: 7000
Total students for Catechism: 2544
Syro Malabar Faithful in the Kingdom of Bahrain
The Kingdom of Bahrain, historically known as the “Land of Two Seas,” is a graceful archipelago that has long served as a crossroads of culture and commerce. Since the 1950s, Bahrain has welcomed a diverse global workforce, but it was the oil boom of the early 1970s that truly catalyzed the migration of Kerala’s Catholic community. Seeking new livelihoods, these faithful brought with them a deep spiritual heritage that continues to flourish today.
The roots of the Catholic faith in Bahrain run deep. As early as 1939, the ruling family granted permission for the first church to be built. Under the guidance of Bishop Tirinanzi and the Capuchin friar Fr. Luigi, Sacred Heart Church was established in Manama.Today, the spiritual landscape has expanded significantly. The majestic Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali now serves as the seat of the Vicariate, consecrated by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches, and also serves the BAPCO Awali Mission. The Catholic presence in Bahrain is a vital and vibrant segment of the national fabric.
Statistics of Syro Malabar faithful in the Kingdom of Bahrain
Total population: 1.47 Million
Total Indian population: 0.33 Million
Total Catholic Population: 80,000
Syro Malabar Catholics: ca 20,000
Unlike other regions in the Gulf, the Catholic community in Bahrain is characterized by a unique sense of liturgical unity. While the Malankara community maintains its own distinct celebrations, the rest of the Catholic faithful remain closely integrated. The Syro-Malabar Rite is celebrated twice weekly in Malayalam at both Sacred Heart Church and the Awali Cathedral. In a spirit of fraternal cooperation, faith formation and catechism classes are conducted jointly with students from other ritual traditions. Currently, communal activities are held collectively rather than being divided by rite, reflecting a unified pastoral approach under the Latin Vicariate.
I am deeply humbled and grateful for the trust the Holy See has placed in me by appointing me as the Apostolic Visitator. I thank His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State and all the Church officials who were part of this decision.
Trusting in the divine providence, I promise to carry out my responsibilities and duties with integrity, compassion and love for the Syro Malabar faithful in the Arabian Peninsula.
The Catholic Church in the Arabian Peninsula is currently divided into two Latin Apostolic Vicariates, both directly under the Dicastery for for Evangelization . Previously, the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia and the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait constituted two separate jurisdictions. These were later reorganized and renamed. Currently, the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia comprises the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen, while the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia includes Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. For the past 20 years, the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia has facilitated the work of 17 Syro-Malabar priests and the formation of the faith, catechism, sacraments, and Holy Masses in the Syro-Malabar Rite. We thank the Capuchin friars, the Trinitarians, and the Salesians.
*Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malabar Catholics of the Arabian Peninsula
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.