Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia

The Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia (Vicariatus Apostolicus Arabiæ Septentrionalis) (النيابة الرسولية العربية الشمالية) is an apostolic vicariate of the Catholic Church with territorial jurisdiction for Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The vicar apostolic of the vicariate is Bishop Aldo Berardi OSsT. It was first established in 1953 (as the Apostolic Prefecture of Kuwait) and took its current name in 2011.

The apostolic vicariate is led by a vicar apostolic, who is usually a titular bishop. While such a territory can be classed as a particular Church, according to canon 371.1 of the Latin Code of Canon Law, a vicar apostolic's jurisdiction is an exercise of the jurisdiction of the Pope – the territory comes directly under the Pope as "universal bishop", and the vicariate come directly under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Rome, where the pope exercises this authority through a "vicar". This is unlike the jurisdiction of a diocesan bishop, whose jurisdiction derives directly from his office.

The see of the apostolic vicar is in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali, Bahrain, with a co-cathedral, the Holy Family Co-Cathedral, located in Kuwait City which was the former seat of the vicariate.

Statistics
The vicariate serves the peninsular Arabian countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, but there are no churches on Saudi territory. As of 2020, it serves a Catholic population of 2,722,000, which is approximately 6.3% of the total population of the region (43,463,583).

The vicariate comprises 11 parishes and has 54 priests, including 11 diocesan and 43 religious priests. Additionally, there are 1 deacon, 44 brothers, 18 sisters, 1 seminarian, and 61 lay religious who support the vicariate.

History
The apostolic vicariate was established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Kuwait in June 1953, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia. It was promoted on 2 December 1954, as the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait, entitled to a titular bishop. It was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia on 31 May 2011, having gained additional territory from the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia, which was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia.

In January 2011, Pope Benedict XVI through the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments declared the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Arabia patroness of the Northern Vicariate (feast on the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time).

In August 2012, the headquarters of the vicariate was transferred from Kuwait to Bahrain, which is in the centre of the vicariate since it had a more permissive visa policy.

Leadership

 * Apostolic Prefect of Kuwait
 * Ubaldo Teofano Stella, OCD (29 June 1953 – 2 December 1954 see below)


 * Apostolic Vicars of Kuwait
 * 1) Ubaldo Teofano Stella, OCD (born Italy) (see above 2 December 1954 – retired March 1966), Titular Bishop of Antæopolis (1955.06.04 – death 1978.11.09)
 * 2) Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce, OCD (born Spain) (31 May 1976 – retired 5 November 1981), Titular Bishop of Rusubbicari (1976.05.31 – death 1995.04.04); initially as Apostolic Administrator 1966.03.17 – 1976.05.31
 * 3) Francis George Adeodatus Micallef, OCD (born Malta) (5 November 1981 – retired 14 July 2005), Titular Bishop of Tinisa in Proconsulari (1981.11.05 – death 2018.01.03)
 * 4) Camillo Ballin, Combonian Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCI) (born Italy) (14 July 2005 – 31 May 2011 see below), Titular Bishop of Arna (2005.07.14 – 2011.05.31)


 * Apostolic Vicars of Northern Arabia
 * 1) Camillo Ballin, MCCI (see above 31 May 2011 – death 12 April 2020)
 * 2) Aldo Berardi, OSsT (born France) (18 March 2023–present )


 * Apostolic Administrators


 * 1) Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce OCD (born Spain) (see above 1966.03.17 – 1976.05.31)
 * 2) Paul Hinder, OFMCap (born Switzerland) (13 May 2020 – 18 March 2023) Titular Bishop of Macon, Emeritus Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia

Parishes
Holy Family Co – Cathedral in Kuwait City
 * Kuwait:

St. Thérèse Parish in Salmiya

Our Lady of Arabia Parish in Ahmadi

St. Daniel Comboni Parish in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali
 * Bahrain:

Sacred Heart Church in Manama

St. Arethas Parish

Our Lady of Arabia Parish

Our Lady of Fatima Parish

St. Joseph Parish

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary in Doha
 * Qatar:

St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church in Doha