The St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dubai. EXPAT MEDIA

St. Mary’s Catholic Church Dubai has urged parishioners to avoid gathering outside church premises as services remain suspended. In a statement issued on Monday (April 6), the church said: “We kindly request that all parishioners refrain from gathering outside the church to pray during this time.” The advisory came after worshippers were seen gathering outside the church gates for the remainder of the Holy Week, particularly on Sunday (April 5), despite the suspension of in-person services. The church added that this week's masses at 6am and 7pm until Friday will be livestreamed via its official YouTube channel until its reopening. The church did not say when it would reopen. Meanwhile, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church confirmed it would also remain closed, urging parishioners not to visit for safety reasons. Both churches suspended activities starting April 3, in line with directives from UAE authorities. Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, which oversees Catholic churches across the UAE, Oman, and Yemen, acknowledged the situation. “Unfortunately, the current circumstances required the moving of the liturgies online and the closure of churches in Dubai and Jebel Ali. We sincerely hope to return to celebrating together with all of you in our churches soon," he said. "It is certainly painful not to be able to take part in person in the beautiful and rich celebrations of the Holy Week. We thank the Lord that the liturgies can be streamed live, allowing everyone to participate spiritually,” he added. He also called on the faithful to pray for peace and unity during this period. CAM/Expat Media
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