Archbishop Eugene Nugent urges peace and prayer as Iranian strikes shake Gulf nations and tensions escalate across the Arabian Peninsula.
Newsroom (03/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) As explosions thunder across the Gulf and cities once considered safe come under fire, Archbishop Eugene Nugent, Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, delivers a sober warning: “A long war benefits no one.” His words capture the mood of a region that has swiftly spiraled from conversation to confrontation.
A Night of Explosions and Uncertainty
From his residence in Kuwait City’s quiet Shaab district, Archbishop Nugent described a night of fear and restlessness. “We hardly slept at all,” he told Vatican News, “as explosions began at two in the morning and continued for hours.” By dawn, reports confirmed that the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait had been attacked by a drone, sparking a fire but causing no casualties.
Soon after, news came that two American military aircraft had been shot down near the Ali al Salem air base, a place the Archbishop knows well from celebrating Mass with troops stationed there. “Military bases and airports are the main targets,” he said, “and the atmosphere is tense but controlled.”
Shock Across Gulf States Promoting Dialogue
The wave of Iranian strikes has rattled regional neighbors long committed to coexistence. Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar—states known for facilitating interreligious dialogue—now find themselves swept into the storm. “We were truly surprised when the war broke out on February 28,” Archbishop Nugent said, expressing the Church’s deep concern and its desire to restore calm through prayer and diplomacy.
He noted that Pope’s Angelus appeal for peace resonated widely in the Gulf, as did messages from Bishop Aldo Berardi, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia. “People were grateful for the encouragement to pray and stand in solidarity,” said Nugent. “There’s genuine fear, but also an immense longing for peace.”
Diplomacy Amid the Roar of Weapons
For the nuncio, diplomatic engagement is the only sustainable path forward. “The weapons are making the noise now,” he admitted, “but we must return to dialogue.” He expressed cautious hope following U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement signaling potential talks with Iran’s new leadership. “Even amid internal divisions in Tehran,” he said, “we must try every avenue. A long war will help no one, especially in this fragile region.”
The Echo of a Prophetic Warning
Archbishop Nugent recalled Pope Francis’s 2022 visit to Bahrain, when the pontiff denounced war as “a dramatically childish scenario,” lamenting that humanity plays “with fire, missiles, and bombs” in the garden it was meant to tend. “Those words seem prophetic now,” the nuncio reflected. “We are once again reminded of how small we are before the gravity of human violence—and how urgent our duty is to seek fraternity and unity.”
The Archbishop drew parallels between the Lenten season and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, now overlapping in a shared call for reflection and restraint. “Both Christians and Muslims are fasting and praying,” he said. “Let us implore God together for the gift of peace.”
Faith as Anchor in Crisis
Despite the danger, daily life in local parishes continues wherever possible. Some churches remain open for private Masses; others have been forced to close. At the nunciature, Archbishop Nugent leads Mass each morning and the Rosary every afternoon, joined virtually through WhatsApp prayer groups. “We encourage everyone to remain calm and steadfast in faith,” he said. “Prayer is our greatest weapon.”
The faithful across the Gulf have turned their devotion toward Our Lady of Arabia, patroness of the region. Archbishop Nugent sees her intercession as vital: “Our Lady of Arabia is fundamental to our prayer. Muslims venerate Maryam as well, and in this moment of shared suffering, that devotion unites us. She is the Queen of Peace—through her, we appeal for an end to this war.”
A Call for Peace Beyond Borders
As diplomatic efforts falter and new explosions echo through cities like Dubai, Doha, and Manama, Archbishop Nugent reminds the world that every nation in the region bears the burden of conflict—and the responsibility of peace. “We have lived together in this land for centuries,” he said. “Now, more than ever, we must find again what binds us together.”
His message, echoed in the Vatican’s appeals, remains simple but urgent: weapons may fracture cities, but only faith, prayer, and diplomacy can rebuild the paths to peace.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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