Qatar: Construction begins on Christian church

30-09-2008

 

Doha, 29 Sept. (AKI) - Construction has begun in the oil-rich Arab emirate of Qatar on its second Christian church.

The Anglican church is being built on the southern outskirts of the city in an area called Mesaimeer, on land donated by Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

The site, dubbed an 'Ecumenical Church City' will have space for as many as 18 different church denominations and congregations, reported Qatari daily Gulf Times.

Last March, a Roman Catholic church called Our Lady of the Rosary, was inaugurated in the capital, Doha, in the area of Abu Hamour.

Discussions about building a church in Qatar began in 2002, when the emir established diplomatic ties with the Vatican.

After the Qatari emir met Pope John Paul II in Rome, the government made land available for a church to be constructed.

There are an estimated 150,000 Christians in Qatar out of a population of 750,000.

The Christians are almost all foreigners from around 70 countries but the majority are from the Philippines, India and Nigeria.

Anglicans in Qatar number from 15,000 to 20,000 and are mostly expatriates working there.

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