On Thursday (Dec 9) His Majesty King Hamad’s personal representative Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa officially inaugurated the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia (COLA) in Awali.

The house of worship is built on 9,000sqm of land donated by Bahrain’s King His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at an estimated BD5.5 million.
Shaikh Abdulla opened the Cathedral by placing a crystal ball – one symbolising peace - on a replica of a lamp post in Vatican. The ball is part of six others representing the virtues of faith, love, hope, mercy, wisdom and charity.

The opening was graced by the presence of Pope Francis’ representative His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of People, His Excellency Apostolic Administrator of Northern Arabia Bishop Paul Hinder, His Excellency Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait and Bahrain Arch Bishop Eugene M Nugent, representative of the Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East of the Greek Orthodox to the Patriarchate of Moscow and all Russia Archbishop Niphon Saikali and King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence chairman Dr Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.

Around 200 invited guests including senior royal court officials, ministers, diplomats, businessmen, church leaders and media members were present to witness the historic moment.

Mementos were exchanged from and to Vatican and Bahrain, while in his address His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle delivered the regards of Pope Francis to His Majesty King Hamad. Representatives of COLA project team and benefactors were also honoured. A 40-member Awali Church Filipino choir and Bahrain Police band gave the musical accompaniments for the day.

The Cathedral will be consecrated tomorrow (Dec 10) morning by His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle with the service being limited to the invited, to comply with Covid-19 protocol.