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The Pope: Up Close & Personal in UAE

As the UAE, together with thousands of Catholic faithful residing and working here, thrills for the forthcoming visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to the UAE, many Filipinos are already in great anticipation of what will be the first-ever visit of a Pope in the Middle East.

The Papal Visit is a positive response of pontiff and the Vatican to the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, as part of the celebrations of the “International Interfaith Meeting on Human Fraternity”.

It epitomizes the UAE’s policy of tolerance toward religions and cultures of people around the world, noting that the country is home to citizens from over 200 countries.

“At the same time, the visit is also an answer to the invitation addressed to Pope Francis by the Catholic Church in the UAE,” said Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia Bishop Paul Hinder OFM Cap in a letter published online at the official website of the UAE Papal Visit.

Short, yet meaningful

Pope Francis is scheduled to arrive in the UAE on February 3, Sunday at 10:00 pm after which the Pope will be going to a series of meetings the following day, February 4, Monday, starting with an official visit to the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the Presidential Palace, a private meeting with the members of the Muslim Council of Elders at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, as well as an Interreligious Meeting at The Founder’s Memorial.

The Pope’s visit culminates with a quick, private visit at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi to be followed by a celebration of the Papal Mass at Zayed Sports City which is expected to draw more than 120,000 attendees comprised not just of citizens from the UAE, but people from around the GCC and the whole world as well.

The Pope will then head back to the Vatican on the evening of the same day.

“I wish that the short visit be a moment of deepening our faith and our adherence to the bishop of Rome who is the head of the college of all bishops,” said Bishop Hinder.

Grand Papal Mass

The total capacity of the Zayed Sports City stadium numbers around 120,000 people but with more than 1 million faithful across the UAE, Oman, and Yemen that comprises the Southern Arabia area, and with millions more from non-GCC countries that aim to see a historic mass celebrated by the Pope, many have been seeking ways to get an entry pass as the mass will be a ticketed event.

Parishes across the UAE have since asked their parishioners to register at their respective parishes for them to be given a chance to get a ticket for the Papal Mass. However, the parishes also reminded that their registration does not automatically mean that they will be getting a ticket as each parish will need to ensure that all main representatives of the parish including communities, ministries, movements, and more will have their place in the mass.

Majority of the registrations to vie for a ticket to the Papal Mass has since ended for Al Ain’s St Mary’s Catholic Church last January 13 while St. Mary’s Church in Dubai, St. Paul’s Church in Mussafah, and St. Anthony of Padua Church, Ras Al Khaimah ended their registration period last January 15.

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Pope Francis shakes hands with Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the United Arab Emirates armed forces, during a private audience at the Vatican in September 2016. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano, handout)

Public Reminder: Tickets are free

The team behind the UAE Papal Visit also reminds the public that tickets to the Papal Visit is free of charge and are locked and linked to the Emirates ID number of the registrant – meaning those who will be provided with tickets cannot transfer them in any manner to other people.

“The faithful are requested to be on their guard against anyone offering tickets for sale or offering tickets through unauthorized channels. The only official channels for ticket distribution for those who reside in GCC counties are through the AVOSA and AVONA parishes,” said the UAE Papal Visit team.

The Papal Visit to the UAE is organized by the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia (AVOSA), which is under the territorial jurisdiction of the Catholic Church covering the countries of the UAE, Oman and Yemen.

The present Apostolic Vicar is Bishop Paul Hinder OFM Cap. who hails from Switzerland.

The office of the Apostolic Vicar is based in St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi.

Pope Francis’ full itinerary in the UAE:

Sunday, February 3
1:00 PM – Departure by plane from Rome/Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10:00 PM – Arrival at the Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Official Welcome

Monday, February 4
12:00 PM – Welcome Ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi
12:20 PM – Official Visit to the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince in the Presidential Palace
5:00 PM – Private meeting with the members of the Muslim Council of Elders at Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6:10 PM – Inter-religious Meeting at the Founder’s Memorial
Discourse of the Holy Father

Tuesday, February 5
9:15 AM – Visit in private to the Cathedral
10:30 AM – Santa Messa in Zayed Sports City — Homily of the Holy Father
12:40 PM – Farewell Ceremony at the Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1:00 PM – Departure by plane to Rome
5:00 PM – Arrival at the Rome/Ciampino International Airport

Staff Report

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