Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin visits Kuwait to deepen ties and preside over the elevation of Our Lady of Arabia to minor basilica.
Newsroom (15/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) The State of Kuwait and the Holy See have reaffirmed their enduring bonds of friendship and cooperation during the official visit of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State. The visit, taking place from January 14 to 16, marks a milestone moment in the diplomatic and spiritual history of the Arabian Peninsula.
According to a joint communiqué, the visit includes a series of official meetings between Cardinal Parolin and His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait. The highlight of the visit will be the solemn celebration in Ahmadi on January 16, where Parolin will preside over the proclamation of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia as a minor basilica—a designation rich with historical and spiritual resonance.
A Legacy of Diplomatic and Spiritual Friendship
The Holy See and the State of Kuwait established diplomatic relations in 1968, making Kuwait the first Gulf Cooperation Council member to formalize such ties with the Vatican. Since then, both sides have nurtured a dialogue grounded in mutual respect, cooperation, and a shared commitment to peaceful coexistence.
The Vatican notes that Cardinal Parolin’s visit seeks to reaffirm these enduring principles and to celebrate Kuwait’s longstanding tradition of religious tolerance within the Gulf region. This visit reflects the consistent engagement between the Holy See and Kuwaiti leadership at the highest levels over the past decades.
Our Lady of Arabia: A Historic Basilica
At the heart of the visit lies the Church of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi, the oldest Catholic church in Kuwait and the wider Gulf region. The title of minor basilica, conferred by Pope Leo XIV on June 28, 2025, honors its historical and spiritual importance as the “mother church” of Kuwait.
The chapel’s roots trace back to 1948, when it was first built through the devotion of Kuwait’s small but vibrant Catholic community. The current structure, completed in 1957 with the help of generous local benefactors, stands as a tangible symbol of faith sustained through decades of social change. The basilica designation, the first of its kind in the Arabian Peninsula, reflects recognition of this deep legacy and the Church’s ongoing role as a space for worship and cultural unity.
Enduring Commitment to Peaceful Coexistence
Kuwait’s government emphasizes, in the same communiqué, its unwavering principles of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among religions—values enshrined in the nation’s Constitution and reflected in its civic life. These commitments have long distinguished the State within the Gulf, providing a framework for interreligious coexistence and cooperation.
The visit also recalls a series of historic encounters that have shaped this relationship. Among them was the 2010 visit of the late Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the Vatican, a landmark moment in bilateral dialogue with the Successor of Peter. It followed earlier meetings, including those by former Prime Ministers Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in 2009 and Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah in 2015, each reinforcing the Kuwaiti leadership’s commitment to fostering interreligious communication and global outreach.
As the Vatican’s top diplomat stands before the faithful in Ahmadi for the basilica’s proclamation, the occasion will not only celebrate a building’s new title but also the reaffirmation of a shared vision—of dialogue, mutual understanding, and faith bridging nations across cultures and religions.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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