Exploring The Presence Of Churches In Bahrain

Bahrain is an overwhelmingly Muslim country, but it is also home to 19 officially registered churches. Christians in Bahrain make up approximately 12% of the population, with almost 10% of the country identifying as Catholic. The first Catholic church built in the Persian Gulf in modern times was constructed in 1939, and today, the country is served by churches of various denominations, including Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant.

Bahrain has 19 officially registered churches

While Bahrain is an overwhelmingly Muslim country, there are 19 officially registered churches, according to statistics from the social development ministry. The country has had a native Christian community for many centuries, with the first recorded presence dating back to the 12th century. Christians in Bahrain made up approximately 12% of the population in 2022, with almost 10% of the country identifying as Catholic.

The National Evangelical Church became the first church to offer services in Bahrain in 1906. Roman Catholics have two churches: the Sacred Heart Church in Manama, built in 1939 or 1940, and the Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Visitation in Awali, a former oil town in central Bahrain. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, also in Awali, is the largest Catholic church in the Arabian Peninsula.

Sacred Heart Church serves approximately 140,000 Catholics, mainly from India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. St Christopher's Cathedral and Awali Anglican Church are also home to an international community drawn from all over the world. While the majority of Christians in Bahrain are expatriates, local Christian Bahrainis who hold Bahraini citizenship number approximately 1,000.

The Christian community in Bahrain has been regularly represented in the upper chamber of the bicameral parliament since 2002. Notable Bahraini Christians include Alees Samaan, the former Bahraini ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Hani Aziz, pastor of the Arabic Congregation of the National Evangelical Church in Bahrain.

The National Evangelical Church was the first church in Bahrain

There are a number of churches in Bahrain, catering to the country's Christian population, which made up approximately 12% of the total population in 2022. The National Evangelical Church was the first church established in the country, founded by Rev. Samuel Zwemer and a small team of missionaries from the Reformed Church in America. The church was established in 1893 and is now made up of seven congregations, including the English Language Congregation.

The National Evangelical Church has members from all over the world, including native Christians from Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, and India, as well as expatriates. The church is located on Khalaf Al Asfoor Avenue in Manama, Bahrain.

The church's website outlines its beliefs and practices, including its confession of the One God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christ is acknowledged as the head of the church, and members are consecrated to his service. The church follows the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the infallible rule for faith and practice. They also accept the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed as true expressions of the Christian faith.

The National Evangelical Church offers various ministries and groups for its congregation, including worship teams, praise dance ministries, youth groups, and young adult groups. The church is led by Senior Pastor and Chairman, Rev. Dr. Blaine Newhouse, and the Arabic Congregation is pastored by Hani Aziz.

Sacred Heart Church is the largest church in Bahrain

There are indeed churches in Bahrain, a country where Christians made up approximately 12% of the population as of 2022. The majority of Christians in Bahrain are expatriates, while native Christian Bahrainis make up a smaller community, with around 1,000 Christian citizens.

The Sacred Heart Church in Manama, Bahrain, is the largest Catholic church in the country. It was the first Catholic church built in the Persian Gulf in modern times, constructed in 1939 on land donated by the Emir of Bahrain. Sacred Heart Church serves approximately 140,000 Catholics, and Pope Francis even visited the church during his trip to Bahrain in 2022.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, located in Awali, is the largest Catholic church in the Arabian Peninsula. However, Sacred Heart Church is specifically the largest in Bahrain and serves the country's significant Catholic population.

Bahrain has a long history of religious tolerance, and Christians have lived in the country for many centuries, with the first recorded presence dating back to the 12th century. The country has equal religious and social freedoms for its citizens, and the coexistence of different faiths is encouraged. This is reflected in King Hamad bin Isa Khalifa's donation of land to the Catholics to build the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, which opened in 2022.

The Sacred Heart Church in Manama, Bahrain, stands as a testament to the country's commitment to religious freedom and the long-standing presence of Christianity in the region. It serves as a place of worship for the local Catholic community and expatriates alike.

The majority of Christians in Bahrain are expatriates

While Bahrain has had a native Christian community for many centuries, with the first recorded presence dating back to the 12th century, expatriate Christians make up the majority of Christians in the country. Christians in Bahrain today make up approximately 12% of the population, with native Christian Bahrainis (those holding Bahraini citizenship) making up a much smaller community of around 1,000 people.

The largest Christian denomination in Bahrain is Catholicism, with almost 10% of the country's population being Catholic. The first Catholic church built in the Persian Gulf in modern times was constructed in 1939 on land given by the Emir of Bahrain. Sacred Heart Church serves approximately 140,000 Catholics. There are also Eastern Catholic churches, including the Syro Malankara Catholic Community and the Syro-Malabar Society.

The majority of Christian Bahraini citizens, on the other hand, tend to be Orthodox Christians, with the largest church by membership being the Eastern Orthodox Church. They enjoy equal religious and social freedoms and have members in the Bahraini government.

Christians in Bahrain enjoy equal religious and social freedoms

Bahrain is an overwhelmingly Muslim country, with Christians making up approximately 12% of the population as of 2022. However, Christians in Bahrain enjoy equal religious and social freedoms. The country has a native Christian community that dates back centuries, with the first recorded presence in the 12th century. While expatriate Christians make up the majority of Christians in Bahrain, there is also a smaller community of local Christian Bahrainis who hold Bahraini citizenship.

Bahrain is one of only two Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with a native Christian population, the other being Kuwait. The Christian community in Bahrain has been represented in the upper chamber of the bicameral parliament since 2002, and notable Christian figures have held important positions in the government. For example, Alees (or Alice) Samaan, a native Christian, served as the Bahraini ambassador to the United Kingdom and became the first Christian to chair a parliamentary session in Bahrain in 2005. Additionally, Hala Qurisa, a Christian, serves as the Second Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council.

Bahrain is home to 19 officially registered churches, with half of them located in the Capital Government. The National Evangelical Church became the first church to offer services in Bahrain in 1906. The country also has two Roman Catholic churches: the Sacred Heart Church in Manama, built in 1939 or 1940, and the Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Visitation in Awali. The Sacred Heart Church serves approximately 140,000 Catholics, making it the largest Christian denomination in Bahrain. Additionally, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali is the largest Catholic church in the Arabian Peninsula.

Eastern Orthodox Christians in Bahrain belong to the jurisdiction of the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. An Eastern Orthodox parish was organised in 2000 by the late Metropolitan Constantine Papastephanou of Baghdad and Kuwait. There are also various other Christian denominations represented in Bahrain, including Orthodox, Protestant, and Anglican churches. These churches serve an international community of people from diverse backgrounds, providing a haven of peace and worship for both visitors and residents.

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