Vatican City - Pope Francis is scheduled to travel to the Kingdom of Bahrain from 3 to 6 November 2022.
Bishop Paul Hinder OFM Cap., the Apostolic Administrator of the AVONA region, of which Bahrain is a part of, said that the announcement was received from Rome at 12 noon on 28th September.
A statement released by the Director of the Holy See Press Office on Wednesday said the Pope had accepted the invitation of the country's civil and ecclesial authorities.
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During his stay in the country, the Holy Father will address the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue, a conference that will focus on the theme “East and West for Human Coexistence”.
Theme “Peace on earth to people of goodwill”
The theme of the Apostolic Journey to the Kingdom of Bahrain has been chosen as “Peace on earth to people of goodwill”, a verse taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke. This theme is very timely, as many people all over the world are struggling under various forms of conflict, hostility, and wars, and are turning to Heaven with an earnest cry for peace.
Besides his participation in this Conference, the Holy Father Pope Francis will celebrate a public Mass at the Bahrain National Stadium. The date and time of the celebration will be on Saturday, 5 November 2022, at 8.00 in the morning.
Other details will be published, as they become available, on the official Vicariate website of the papal visit www.bahrainpapalvisit.org.
Pope Francis will be the first Pope to visit Bahrain.
2014 meeting between Pope and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Pope Francis received in audience in the Vatican, the King of Bahrain, His Majesty Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on 19 May 2014.
The King subsequently met with the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and the former Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.
According to a Holy See Press Office statement at the time, cordial discussions between the Bahraini King and the Pope focused on various themes of common interest, “with particular reference to the commitment towards peace and stability in the Middle East, as well as the promotion of dialogue and peaceful co-existence among all members of society.”
Mention was also made of the Christian community’s positive contribution to the country, and “appreciation was expressed for His Majesty’s personal interest in the needs of the local Catholic community.”
Pope Francis visited the United Arab Emirates in 2019, which was the Holy Fathers first journey to the Middle East region.
-VN