Dubai – 31 May 2025
The spiritual heart of the Gulf was stirred this week as the faithful of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai welcomed His Excellency Bishop Paolo Martinelli for his annual pastoral visit, a moment of profound grace and unity that deeply touched our Syro-Malankara Catholic community within the parish. Taking place from May 23 to June 1, this year’s visit was themed “Anchored in Hope”, an invitation to all—migrant and native alike—to rediscover their identity in Christ amidst the shifting sands of life in the Arabian Peninsula.
For the Syro-Malankara faithful, who form a vibrant part of the ecclesial mosaic of St. Mary’s, Bishop Paolo’s visit was not merely ceremonial—it was deeply personal. Many among us, worshipping in the West Syriac tradition passed down from St. Thomas the Apostle, found in his words a deep echo of our own longing: for communion, belonging, and holiness, even in lands far from our ancestral home.
Welcoming the Bishop with the Spirit of Antioch
The visit began with a reverent and warm welcome on Sunday by our own Rev. Fr. John Thundiyath Cor Episcopo, Syro-Malankara priest and chaplain for our community in Dubai, accompanied by executive members and parish representatives. Bishop Paolo, arriving at the largest Catholic parish in the world, paused in prayer before the towering crucifix and the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary—a moment which set the tone for what would unfold: a pastoral encounter grounded in reverence, unity, and deep theological insight.
For us Malankara Catholics—migrants, professionals, workers, and families—this was a moment of the Church seeing us not as an extension of distant dioceses, but as full and living members of the Mystical Body of Christ in the Gulf.
A Shepherd’s Message: On Unity, Hope, and the Journey of Migrants
In his inaugural address, Bishop Paolo delivered a powerful and sobering message that felt written not just for the faithful of Dubai, but especially for those of us who have traversed oceans and borders, carrying our traditions in our hearts. Quoting the inaugural homily of Pope Leo XIV, he reminded the congregation:
“We are not a collection of national churches existing side by side… We form the one mystical body of Christ in the Gulf.”
The words struck home. In an era when cultural lines often divide, and spiritual life can wither in the heat of material pursuits, the bishop called upon us to rediscover what binds us—not heritage, but holiness. He urged us to live our migrant condition as “pilgrims of hope” and posed questions that resounded deeply with many Malankara faithful:
“Are we truly walking and growing in our spiritual life, or are we stuck in worldliness and mediocrity?”
“Are we anchored in true hope, or are we placing our trust in fleeting things like money, power, and career?”
These were not rhetorical flourishes. They were spiritual challenges, lovingly offered by a bishop who sees our struggles not as sociological problems, but as pathways to grace.
A Shared Liturgy, a Shared Witness
Throughout the week, Bishop Paolo met with different ecclesial groups—lay associations, religious orders, and parish clergy. Among them were representatives from our Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in Dubai, whose distinct liturgical identity is anchored in the ancient West Syriac tradition. Though liturgically unique, our prayers rose in harmony with the wider Church, expressing our longing to walk together in communion.
The bishop’s emphasis on ecclesial unity within cultural diversity mirrors our own Syro-Malankara understanding of Church—where liturgical beauty and theological depth are not sacrificed for uniformity but are celebrated as gifts to the universal body of Christ.
His reflections on the legacy of Pope Francis, and his joy at the election of Pope Leo XIV, also resonated deeply. Pope Leo’s words—“In the One, We Are All One”—felt especially apt to our situation, reminding us that our life here is not an accident of migration, but a divine calling.
The Syro-Malankara Presence in Dubai: A Church within a Church
Our community, under the pastoral care of Fr. John Thundiyath Cor Episcopo and guided by the larger ecclesial family in communion with His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, continues to thrive within St. Mary’s Parish. Bishop Paolo’s visit reaffirmed the value of this presence.
Our faithful—engineers, nurses, labourers, educators, and families—have preserved the tradition of the Holy Qurbono, catechesis, family units (Kudumbakoottayma), and the West Syriac liturgical life with vigour and faithfulness, despite the challenges of a migrant existence.
In Bishop Paolo’s words, we found affirmation. His homily declared:
“There is no unity stronger than that which is born from Christ’s friendship for us—a unity that overcomes all differences and cultures to make us one body.”
These are not just sentiments—they are theology. And for a Church like ours, which often must explain its difference in a Latin context, such words were healing.
A Church on Pilgrimage: The Jubilee Year as Spiritual Compass
This pastoral visit coincided with the wider observance of the Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope. Bishop Paolo invited us to interpret our daily challenges—distance from home, the pressures of work, the isolation of cultural displacement—as the signs of a holy pilgrimage.
His encouragement to live as “pilgrims of hope” was especially meaningful for us. In our tradition, pilgrimage (thirtha yatra) is not just external; it is a movement of the heart. Here in Dubai, our external journey from India is mirrored by our interior journey toward God.
Closing Reflections: A Malankara Gratitude
The Syro-Malankara Catholic community of Dubai expresses heartfelt gratitude to Bishop Paolo Martinelli for his visit, his message, and his visible embrace of our presence within the wider Church in Arabia. His theology of communion, grounded in Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit, affirms our identity—not as guests in a borrowed parish, but as full members of the Church in this land.
To walk in the Church as migrants is not a burden. It is a vocation. Bishop Paolo reminded us of this truth, one we now carry with even greater clarity and hope.
Let Us Remember
As we continue our mission here in the Gulf, nourished by the West Syriac traditions passed down to us by St. Thomas the Apostle, may we never lose sight of the Church’s heart—unity in Christ.
May the days ahead draw us closer to each other, and closer to the One who unites us all.
Anchored in Hope, we journey on—one faith, one Church, one Spirit.
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