APOSTOLIC & EPISCOPAL VISITS

APOSTOLIC VISITS

The Church was blessed with the Apostolic visit of Patriarch of Antioch & All the East H.H. Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, in 1989. His Holiness arrived in Bahrain as a state guest and was with us for one week. Holy Qurbana was celebrated once each at Sacred Heart Church and at our own church. His Holiness had a historic audience with the then Amir of State of Bahrain Shaikh Issa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister H.E. Sh. Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, in the presence of Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs H.E. Sh. Abdulla Bin Khalid Al Khalifa and other senior government officials. A luncheon in honour of His Holiness was given by the then Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs H.E. Sh. Abdulla Bin Khalid Al Khalifa at the Diplomat Hotel, which was attended by Ministers, senior government officials, Ambassadors and parishioners.

The Church was also blessed with the second Apostolic visit of the Patriarch, in 2003 to bless the occasion of silver jubilee celebrations of our church. His Holiness was accompanied by the then Pathriarchal Vicar H.G. Kuriakose Mor Julious and Pathriarcal Assistant H.G. Elias Mor Athanasios Bahi. His Holiness was received by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs H.E. Sh. Abdulla Bin Khalid Al Khalifa, H.E. Shaikh Khalid Bin Hamed Al Khalifa, Assistant Under Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs, Indian Embassy officials, Vicar and parish members. His Holiness celebrated two Holy Mass one at Indian School Auditorium and the other one at our church. After the Holy Qurbana His Holiness honored members who have completed 25 years in the parish by presenting mementos. The Patriarch also distributed silver jubilee co-memorative gold coin and posed with the church members for photograph. His Holiness addressed the public meeting organized at the Indian School Auditorium in connection with the Silver Jubilee celebrations, in which prominent members from the Government of Bahrain, Ambassadors of India, Russia and Syria, leaders from different communities and sister churches were attended. His Holiness was interviewed by senior media journalist and interacted with them in a press conference organized at the Hilton Hotel. His Holiness had been with us for five days and had a historic audience with the King H. M. Shaikh Hamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Sh. Abdulla Bin Khalid Al Khalifa and other senior government officials. His Holiness also delivered a speech at Baith Al Quran which was attended by the invited eminent personalities and community leaders. H H also visited charitable institutions and presented with gifts to the in-mates and donation to institutions.

EPISCOPAL VISITS

The Late Lamented Catholicos H.B. Aboon Mor Baselius Paulose II visited our church in 1988. His Beatitude arrived Bahrain at the invitation of the parish to lead the passion week services. As it was the first visit of the Catholicos to Bahrain, a grand public reception in honour of the His Beatitude was organized by the parish at the Mother and Child Welfare Society Hall in Salmaniya.

The Catholicos H.B. Aboon Mor Baselius Thomas I visited our Church in 2004 and 2007.
His Beatitude arrived Bahrain at the invitation of the parish in March 2004 to lead the passion week services and to bless the finale of silver jubilee celebrations of the church. As it was the first visit of His Beatitude as Catholicos, a grand reception in honour of the His Beatitude was organized by the parish at the Palace Inn Hotel.
His Beatitude also visited our parish in 2007 as part of His Beatitude tour to the parishes of all Gulf countries.