Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan Visits UAE Parish

An auxiliary to Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch, Metropolitan Mor Dionysios (Yuhanon), has made a pastoral visit to the Syriac Orthodox Church of St. Zacchaeus in Sharjah, UAE, to celebrate the Lord's Ascension with the young parish, which was established 5 years ago. More (in Arabic) here.

Russian Orthodox Church Nears Completion in UAE

Construction on the first Russian Orthodox parish in the Arabian Peninsula, the Church of St. Philip in Sharjah, UAE, is nearing completion. When completed the parish compound will house an educational and cultural center in addition to the church, which has the distinction of being the only church on the Arabian Peninsula with crosses on its domes. The church's cornerstone was laid by Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow when he was still serving as Metropolitan of Smolensk. More here and (in Russian) here.

It is unclear from what I've read whether St. Philip's is functioning as a regular parish of the Russian Orthodox Church or as a representation to the Antiochian Orthodox Church. I believe that Arabia is understood to fall under the latter's jurisdiction, but perhaps that is not the case?

Update (7/6/2011): The English-language release of the Moscow Patriarchate on the construction states that St. Philip's functions as a parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, whose canonical territory the Arabian Peninsula is, with clergy being provided by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Ignatius Zakka Meets with UAE Ruler

During his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch met with Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi of Ras al-Khaimah to discuss the state of the Syriac and Malankara Orthodox faithful in the area. During the meeting both emphasized the need for tolerant coexistence between the followers of different faiths. More (in Arabic) here.

UAE Parish Becomes Cathedral

Over the weekend Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Thoma I of Kottayam and the East concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with other hierarchs of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church in the Church of St. George in Al Ain, UAE, which by a decree of Patriarch Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch was elevated to the rank of a cathedral. More (in Arabic) here.

Malabar Metropolitan Visits Coptic Orthodox Church in Abu Dhabi

As part of his ongoing stay in the UAE, Metropolitan Zacharias Mar Theophilos of Malabar has visited Abu Dhabi's Coptic Orthodox church to meet with its rector and discuss the state of the Orthodox Churches in the UAE and Egypt. More here.

Malabar Metropolitan Visits Abu Dhabi

Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Theophilos of Malabar of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church has visited St. George's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to celebrate the ongoing feast of Pascha with the church. More here.

UAE Church to Become Cathedral

On 13 May Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka (Iwas) of Antioch will elevate the parish of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church in al-Ain, UAE, the Church of St. George, to the rank of a cathedral. Catholicos Mar Baselios Thomas I of the East will participate in the celebratory services together with other metropolitans of the Syriac Orthodox Church. More here.

Metropolitan Mar Timothy Visiting Southern and Eastern Africa

Metropolitan Mathews Mar Thimothios of London has begun a pastoral visit to the southernmost reaches of his diocese, which encompasses the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Europe and Africa, in South Africa. In addition to South Africa Metropolitan Mar Thimothios will also visit the Malankara Orthodox faithful in Botswana and Tanzania before concluding his travels by celebrating Holy Week and Pascha in the United Arab Emirates. More here.

Metropolitan Mar Meelis Visits Lebanon, UAE

Metropolitan Mar Meelis (Zaia) of Sydney has concluded a month-long visit to the Assyrian faithful in Lebanon, who since the repose of Metropolitan Mar Narsai (D'Baz) a year ago have been under the Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand, and Lebanon of the Assyrian Church of the East.

During the course of his stay Metropolitan Mar Meelis supervised the efforts of the Church of the East in Lebanon to care for incoming refugees from Iraq and met with Metropolitan Mar Thephilos (Saliba) of Mount Lebanon of the Syriac Orthodox Church to discuss the common heritage of the two churches. More on his time in Lebanon can be found here.

On his way back to Australia from Lebanon Metropolitan Mar Meelis visited the faithful of the Church of the East in the United Arab Emirates. His flock there consists of both Assyrians and Indians who remained faithful to the Church of the East following the arrival of Roman Catholicism and Syriac Orthodoxy in Kerala. More on that visit here.

Former Malankara Orthodox Catholicos Visits Dubai

During a visit to St. Thomas' Cathedral in Dubai, UAE, retired Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I of the independent Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church spoke on the need of the faithful in Kerala and throughout the world to attend the divine services regularly, pray daily, and keep the fasts to provide the younger generations of the Church with a spiritual inheritance worthy of emulation. He also spoke against alcoholism, which is a growing problem in all segments of society in Kerala.

The retired catholicos is in Dubai as part of a week-long visit to the Malankara Orthodox Church in the United Arab Emirates that will include services at the cathedral in Dubai and the parish churches in Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaymah, al-Ain, and Abu Dhabi. More on the Catholicos' visit can be found here.

UAE Government Offers Copts Condolences

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Anwar Mohammed Gergash of the UAE has offered his condolences to the Coptic Orthodox Church on the recent bombing in Alexandria, Egypt, during his visit to St. Anthony's Church in Abu Dhabi. More here.

Pre-Islamic Monastery in the UAE

The site of a pre-Islamic monastery of the Church of the East in the United Arab Emirates has just been opened to the public. More here.

Coptic Orthodox Church Opens in Al Ain, UAE

At the recent consecration of a Coptic Orthodox church in Al Ain, UAE, by Metropolitan Abraham of Jerusalem the Minister of Higher Education and Scientic Research of the UAE reaffirmed his country's dedication to toleration, fraternity, and peace between Islam and other world religions. Other prominent members of the UAE government were also present at the service. More here.