On Historic Trip, Pope Meets UAE Leaders and Receives Royal Welcome – Reuters

By Philip Pullella and Sylvia Westall

ABU DHABI – Pope Francis, the first pope to visit the birthplace of Islam, met with leaders of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on Monday. This historic trip aims to promote peace through interfaith dialogue.

Upon his arrival at the impressive presidential palace adorned with golden and glass domes, the Pope was welcomed with a flyover by UAE air force jets trailing smoke in the colors of the Vatican flag. He made his way to the main courtyard in a modest vehicle, accompanied by a group of Emirati guards on horseback, opting against bulletproof cars or limousines since his papacy began.

Inside the sprawling 370-acre palace, which features a complex of buildings, gardens, and fountains, Francis engaged in private discussions with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and other Emirati officials. In the palace guestbook, he wrote a message asking for "divine blessings of peace and fraternal solidarity" for the UAE.

The Pope’s visit occurs amidst the ongoing conflict in Yemen, the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, where UAE military forces play a significant role in a Saudi-led coalition supporting the internationally recognized government against the Iran-aligned Houthi group.

Later in the day, Pope Francis was scheduled to give his only public address at an inter-religious meeting after visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the Islamic world. The visit was positively covered in neighboring Saudi Arabia, known as the birthplace of Islam, where churches are prohibited. A top English-language newspaper highlighted the historic nature of the Pope’s meeting with the Crown Prince.

Officials from both Muslim and Catholic communities mentioned the possibility of a future papal visit to Saudi Arabia. The UAE is often described by priests and diplomats as one of the more accommodating regions in the Gulf for Christian worship, permitting services in designated church compounds. However, similar to other Gulf states, it prohibits unauthorized religious gatherings, and non-Muslims are not allowed to engage in proselytizing.

Before embarking on the journey to Abu Dhabi, the Pope expressed deep concern for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen during his Sunday address, urging all parties to adhere to a fragile ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian aid. He emphasized the plight of children facing hunger, thirst, and lack of medical care during the ongoing conflict, which has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and left millions facing severe food shortages.

On Tuesday, before returning to Rome, Pope Francis plans to celebrate an outdoor mass for approximately 135,000 Catholics at a sports stadium in Abu Dhabi, marking an unprecedented event in the region. He has stated that this trip represents an opportunity to "write a new page in the history of relations between religions."

The UAE is home to around one million expatriate Catholics, with many hailing from the Philippines, and an estimated additional one million Catholics residing in other areas of the Arabian Peninsula.