Posted on 03/16/2008 5:39:48 AM PDT by NYer
DOHA (AFP) — Thousands of Christians took part on Saturday in the first mass at Muslim Qatar's only church, opened this week despite threats from Islamists.
Vatican envoy Cardinal Ivan Dias presided over the eucharist attended by around 15,000 worshippers at Our Lady of the Rosary Roman Catholic church in Doha, thanking "God and Qatar for this great gift".
The church, which like elsewhere in the Gulf Arab region has no bells or crosses on its exterior, opened on Friday ahead of western Christianity's celebration of Easter, which this year falls on March 23.
It is the first of five to be constructed in the gas-rich Gulf state.
From early morning, Catholics began arriving at the church, which accommodates around 5,000. Big screens were erected in the grounds to allow the overflow to follow the mass, celebrated during the consecration of the building.
The mass was conducted in English, but prayers were also said in Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Tagalog, Spanish and French for the many nationalities that would worship in the church.
Dozens of police were deployed around the church, which cost some 20 million dollars (13 million euros), and female officers searched the handbags of women worshippers.
Western embassies, particularly from the United States and Britain, warned nationals living in Qatar to be extra vigilant after an Islamic militants on the Internet made threats linked to the opening of the church.
The US embassy on Thursday released a warning that the new church might be targeted.
"Extremists may elect to use conventional or non-conventional weapons and target both official and private interests. Examples of such targets include ... the new Christian Church complex in Doha," it said.
Worshippers said they were not concerned by the threats.
"It is a day without precedent. I am very happy. The threats were made but I didn't pay them much attention. I trust the country's authorities," Filipino Catholic Shato Mawude told AFP.
Fellow Filipino Ariel Almyede added: "This church is a sign of a possible dialogue between the different faiths."
Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah added: "The church sends a positive message to the world ...
"At the moment we are enjoying the construction of mosques and Islamic centres in the West, so we must be fair" toward Christians in the region and allow them places of worship.
Qatar is a close ally of Washington and hosts the command headquarters for US forces in the Middle East.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), meanwhile, police were seen on Saturday guarding one of the main churches in bustling Dubai and searching worshippers entering the compound.
Police closed off access to cars around St Mary's Catholic Church and signs were put up in the street directing motorists to park their vehicles in other specified places, an AFP correspondent reported.
A priest who asked not to be named told AFP there had been no threat against the church and the security deployment was a preventive measure. Policemen said the "precautionary" moves would last until March 25, after Easter.
The UAE prides itself on its religious tolerance and cultural diversity, and most Gulf Arab states have long allowed Christians to worship in churches.
But Saudi Arabia, which adheres to a rigorous doctrine of Islam known as Wahhabism and is home to Islam's holiest sites, bans all non-Muslim religious rituals and materials.
However, the papal nuncio in the Gulf, Archbishop Paul-Munjed al-Hashem, said on the sidelines of the Doha mass that talks had begun with Riyadh to convince it to become the final Gulf Arab state to allow churches.
"Discussions are underway with Saudi Arabia to allow the construction of churches in the kingdom," he said, adding that the country had between three and four million Christian residents. "We cannot forecast the outcome."
In fact, there is a mosque under construction, not far from where I reside. I never imagined that would ever happen in this community!
the papal nuncio in the Gulf, Archbishop Paul-Munjed al-Hashem, said on the sidelines of the Doha mass that talks had begun with Riyadh to convince it to become the final Gulf Arab state to allow churches.
"Discussions are underway with Saudi Arabia to allow the construction of churches in the kingdom," he said, adding that the country had between three and four million Christian residents. "We cannot forecast the outcome."
Well, that's interesting. Imagine that. maybe a church in OBL homeland. That should get his knickers in a stitch
If your local Mohammedans want to broadcast the call to prayer, tell them that will be fine the day after the Angelus Bells sound in Qatar.
***If your local Mohammedans want to broadcast the call to prayer, tell them that will be fine the day after the Angelus Bells sound in Qatar.***
I know Mussolini is not the best example for this but he did reject a moslem request for a mosque in Rome by saying he would allow it when there was a Christian church in Mecca.
There is now a mosque in Rome but still no Chrisitan Church in Mecca.
Would you? Knowing how these jihadists have no regard for life or person or station, would you?
I don’t know if I would.
I’m not one to say that I would gladly offer myself to martyrdom or never deny Christ.
I know what I am.
“I know Mussolini is not the best example for this but he did reject a moslem request for a mosque in Rome by saying he would allow it when there was a Christian church in Mecca.”
He also drained the Pontine Marshes and made the trains run on time! :)
Are there any photos of the first Mass?
Nice photos! Thank you!
Probably a mosque funded by the Saudis. They have been all through the South, where I live, buying up little rural black churches where the congregation has died out and constructing mosques on these spots - even though there are vritually no Muslims for miles and miles. It’s simply advance colonization.
Awesome photos! Thanks for posting them.
Wow ... I had NO idea! Are these mosques equipped with minarets?
This is the new church that were several posted articles about........correct?
Not generally, although some of them have a little tiny minaret-type tower. But they’re basically fairly small, just the original little white clapboard church building without the cross. Quite weird when you’re driving through some rural area where there is probably not even a Pakistani convenience store clerk and you see a sign indicating the (fill in Arabic name of your choice) mosque or Islamic center.
Somewhat disturbing...
Do you know if this is restricted to one region or is it happening nationwide?
I don’t know the numbers; this is purely anecdotal. But I have seen them in places in rural north Florida and south Georgia, and one time when I mentioned this on FR, someone in the midwest said that there were a number of these little mosques popping up in his area, too.
One thing that I actually found the most disturbing, however, was when I visited Houston for a conference. They took us to visit courtrooms (I’m a legal translator) and to the new state court. We passed by the old court building, right in the heart of the old “legal district,” a beautiful 19th century building with wide marble steps and a columned portico - and a huge new banner hanging across the front reading “Islamic Dawa Center.” I can’t believe it was cheap to buy the old courthouse, but then, the Saudis don’t have to worry about money.
By a strange coincidence, the Federal trial we went to watch involved a Houston-area Pakistani who was being sentenced for a complicated money-laundering scheme that involved sending money from bogus real-estate transactions to a terrorist group in Pakistan.
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