Kuwait: Our Lady of Arabia Church to be elevated to Minor Basilica

The Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia has announced that the Parish Church of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi, Kuwait, has been granted the title of Minor Basilica by Pope Leo XIV in a decree promulgated by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. This historic designation-the first of its kind in the Arabian Peninsula-underscores the Ahmadi church's profound spiritual and pastoral significance for the Catholic faithful of the region.

The Decree (Prot N 18/25) follows a formal petition submitted by Bishop Aldo Berardi, OSST, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, who early on recognized the church's unique and prominent place in the spiritual life of the Catholic faithful in Kuwait and throughout the Arabian Peninsula. This designation marks an important milestone in his episcopal ministry and reflects the vitality and continued growth of the Catholic Church in the Gulf.

The Decree is also the fruits of the pastoral work of the clergy and the Parish Council of Our Lady of Arabis Ahmadi. The documentation prepared by Rev Fr Roswin Redento Agnelo Pires, OFM Cap and his team was essential in the decision. A Minor Basilica is a title conferred by the Holy Father on churches of particular importance in liturgical and pastoral life, distinguished for their historical, spiritual, and architectural merit. It enjoys a special bond with the See of Rome and the Pope. Various privileges and obligations of the Minor Basilica highlight this important attachment to the Holy See and the Supreme Pontiff. Among its privileges are the right to display the papal symbol of the crossed keys on its furnishings and banners, and to carry the ombrellino (the red and gold umbrella once used to shade the Pope) and the tintinnabulum (a bell mounted on a pole, signifying the Pope's approach).The Church of Our Lady of Arabia traces its origins to the dedication of a modest chapel in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8, 1948. The present church was subsequently constructed in 1957 by the Kuwait Oil Company to serve the spiritual needs of its growing expatriate Catholic workforce. The church houses the original and venerated statue of Our Lady of Arabia, which was blessed in Rome by Pope Pius XII in 1949. This same statue was solemnly crowned on January 16, 2011 by Antonio Cardinal Cañizares Llovera, on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI-a rare distinction that marked the church as a Marian shrine of particular significance. Our Lady of Arabia was later proclaimed Principal Patroness of the Gulf, encompassing both apostolic vicariates of the Arabian Peninsula.

The title of Minor Basilica honors Our Lady of Arabia as Patroness and spiritual Mother of the Catholic faithful in the Arabian Peninsula. It also deepens the church's bond with the Pope, a reminder that even in the peripheries, the faithful remain united to the heart of the Universal Church.

Commenting on this momentous occasion, Bishop Aldo Berardi remarked: "This recognition by the Holy See is not only a great honour for our Vicariate, but a profound affirmation of the living faith of our people in the Arabian Peninsula. The elevation of Our Lady of Arabia Church as a Minor Basilica highlights the deep Marian devotion that animates our parishes and communities, despite the many challenges we face in the region.

May this new title inspire us to walk ever more faithfully with the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her maternal protection, and in communion with the Holy Father and the Universal Church.

With this new designation, the Ahmadi church shall henceforth be officially known as: Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Arabia (Latin: Basilicae Minoris Dominae Nostrae de Arabia). The Apostolic Vicariate invites all the faithful to rejoice in this moment of grace and to renew their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who continues to guide and protect the Church in the Arabian Peninsula. The date for the solemn celebration of the proclamation of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Arabia will be announced in due course.