Dubai Catholic churches suspend all masses amid safety directives: report

All religious services and activities at Dubai’s St Mary’s Catholic Church in Oud Metha and St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Jebel Ali have been suspended until further notice, Khaleej Times reported.

St Francis of Assisi Church announced on its website Thursday evening that parishioners should refrain from visiting the premises “in the interest of safety and community well-being.” The statement added that the church would remain closed and that no livestream of services would be available.

St Mary’s Catholic Church issued a similar notice on its social media platforms, confirming that its facilities would be closed until further notice. Good Friday services, however, will be streamed online, the church said.

The move comes during Holy Week, the most sacred period of the Christian calendar, which commemorates the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Palm Sunday was observed on March 27, and Easter Sunday falls on April 5 this year.

At the time of publication, no changes had been reported by other Catholic churches in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, or Umm Al Quwain regarding onsite services for the remainder of Holy Week, the report added.

The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia (Avosa), which oversees Catholic churches across the UAE, Oman, and Yemen, has not yet released an official statement on the suspensions.