St. Francis Church (Arabic: كنيسة القديس فرنسيس) is a church on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The church is part of the Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith complex that includes a mosque, a synagogue and a church, built with the aim of promoting Interfaith dialogue.[1] The church is named after St. Francis of Assisi.
| St. Francis Church | |
|---|---|
| His Holiness Francis Church | |
كنيسة القديس فرنسيس | |
 Pillars of the church | |
 | |
| 24°31′51″N 54°24′22″E / 24.530933°N 54.406101°E | |
| Location | Abrahamic Family House, Cultural District, Al Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. |
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Founded | 2023 |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 2019 |
| Completed | 2023 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia |
| Deanery | United Arab Emirates |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Msgr. Paolo Martinelli, OFM Cap. |
History
editThe St. Francis Church was built as part of the Abrahamic Family House project which was announced in 2019 with aims to promote interfaith harmony and understanding among the followers of the Abrahamic religions.
It was officially inaugurated on 16 February 2023 by Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.[2][3]
On 19 February 2023, a solemn thanksgiving prayer service was conducted at the St. Francis Church, which was the first prayer service held at the Church. Cardinal Michael L. Fitzgerald, the representative of Pope Francis, delivered his address at the ceremony.[4] Msgr. Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, a member of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, welcomed everyone at the church. Bishop Paolo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, Bishop Paul Hinder, the Apostolic Vicar Emeritus, and Msgr. Kryspin Dubiel, the Charge D'Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in the United Arab Emirates and other dignitaries, clergy and lay representatives were present.[5][6]
The church faces the direction of the rising sun, as light is considered symbolic of divinity. Its forest of columns is orientated in this direction to maximize the eastern light and emphasizes verticality to express the concepts of incarnation (or descent) and resurrection (or ascent) that are central to the Christian faith. The timber battens are inspired by rays of light and reference the altar at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. More than 13,000 linear metres of timber form the church's vaulting.
See also
editExternal links
editReferences
edit- ^ "First Prayer Service at St. Francis Church in Abrahamic Family House". Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
- ^ "Abu Dhabi's Abrahamic Family House to welcome visitors from March 1". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
- ^ Almazrooi, Ahlam; Abdulkader, Binsal (2023-02-17). "Saif bin Zayed, Nahyan bin Mubarak inaugurate Abrahamic Family House, a new centre for learning, dialogue and the practice of faith". Emirates News Agency (WAM). Retrieved 2023-02-21.
- ^ "Abrahamic Family House shows success of Abraham Accords - analysis". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
- ^ Sankar, Anjana; Forster, Sarah (2023-02-21). "First glimpse inside Abu Dhabi's Abrahamic Family House". The National - UAE. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
- ^ Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia (20 February 2023). "FIRST PRAYER SERVICE AT ST. FRANCIS CHURCH IN ABRAHAMIC FAMILY HOUSE". avosa.org/. Retrieved 21 February 2023.