The UAE is known for its tolerance towards a variety of people, cultures, and religions, among many others. This comes from the fact that though the country is predominantly considered an Islamic nation, a number of its residents come from different places around the globe, bringing with them their own cultures, traditions, and faith. And because of its accepting attitude towards its residents, the UAE has shown us that there is such a thing as unity in diversity.
Focusing on one of the major religions observed in the country, Christians account for approximately nine percent of the total population in the UAE. And there are close to 50 churches already built in the UAE, but we will be focusing on one of the leading places of Christian worship in the country – St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Sharjah.
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Everything You Need to Know About St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Sharjah
St. Michael’s Church is one of the oldest places of worship for Christians in the UAE. It has been serving devout Catholics in the Al Yarmook area since October 1997. Cardinal Arinze from the Vatican consecrated the church, and Fr. Angelo served as the first parish priest.
Before the present church was built and consecrated, St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Sharjah was based in a small chapel near the British Air force base. St. Michael’s Catholic Church was founded by an Italian priest of the Capuchin order, Fr. Barnabas Maddii, in 1971. Two years later, the church was relocated to the officers’ mess, with the kitchen area serving as the parish house.
Until very recently, there were six priests in the church, officiating the mass in different languages to cater to the spiritual needs of its members coming from various expat communities in the emirate.
- Fr. Varghese Chempoly (Kerala)
- Fr. Victor Prakash (Tamil Nadu)
- Fr. Hilario (Philippines)
- Fr. Youssef (Lebanon) – deceased
- Fr. Stephen Lewis OFM Cap., (Karnataka)
- Fr. Jose Vattukulathil (Kerala)
Along with the clergy, the Church also has 167 extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, 139 lectors, 80 volunteers, and 113 altar servers. There is also a 28-member choir that leads parishioners in praise and worship.
St. Michael’s Catholic Church is considered one of the largest Catholic parishes in the country with around 40,000 members. Additionally, the parish hosts 35 active prayer groups that meet every week. It also has one of the largest Cathechism programs in the emirate, with over 4,000 children attending on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Note: St. Michael’s Catholic Church, like other churches in the country, has been temporarily closed as part of the government’s initiative to curb the spread of the outbreak in the UAE.
Schedule of Weekly Masses
- English Mass Timings (Monday to Thursday):
- 5:45 am
- 7:00 am
- 7:00 pm
Special Masses
- Wedding Anniversary masses are held in the main church on the fourth Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm.
- The youth mass, on the other hand, is held in the St. Francis Assisi Chapel on the fourth Saturday of the month at 7:00 pm.
- English Mass Timings (Friday):
- 5:45 am
- 7:00 am
- 8:15 am
- 9:30 am
- 5:30 pm
- 7:00 pm (at the parish hall)
Catechism Masses
- 9:00 am (at the parish hall)
- 10:00 am (at the parish hall)
- 10:45 am (at the parish hall)
- 10:45 am (in the main church)
- English Mass Timings (Saturday):
- 5:45 am
- 8:30 am
- 5:30 pm
- 7:00 pm
- English Mass Timings (Sunday):
- 5:45 am
- 7:00 am
- 8:30 am
- 5:30 pm
- 7:00 pm
- African Mass Timing:
- Held in the parish hall on the last Friday of the month at 5:00 pm
- Arabic Mass Timing:
- Held in the main church every Saturday at 3:45 pm and every Sunday at 8:30 pm
- Konkani Mass Timing:
- Held in the main church on the first Friday of the month at 12:00 pm. There is also a weekly Konkani mass held in the parish hall every Saturday at 7:00 pm.
- Malayalam Mass Timing:
- For those who follow the Syro-Malabar Rite, weekly mass schedules are as follows:
- Thursday: 8:15 pm
- Friday:
- 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, Friday of the month: 12:00 pm
- 1st Friday of the month (at the parish hall): 1:15 pm
- 1st and 3rd Fridays in the church; 2nd, 4th and 5th Fridays: 3:00 pm (parish hall)
- Last Saturday of the month: 8:15 pm
For those who wish to worship in the Latin Rite, the Malayalam timings are as follows:
- Friday: 8:15 pm
- Saturday: 8:15 pm (in the main church)
Mass timings for other languages are as follows:
- Marathi Mass Timing
- Fourth Friday of the month only: 9:30 am (St. Francis of Assisi Chapel)
- Tagalog Mass Timings:
- Friday: 6:45 pm (main church)
- Sunday: 7:30 pm (parish hall)
- Tamil Mass Timings:
- First and third Friday masses: 3:45 pm (parish hall)
- First and third Sunday of the month: 8:45 pm (St. Francis of Assisi hall)
- Sinhalese Mass Timings:
- Every fourth Friday: 2:15 pm (main church)
- Every first Friday: 6:00 pm (St. Francis of Assisi Chapel)
- Urdu Mass Timings:
- First, third, fourth, and fifth Friday: 12:00 pm (St. Francis Chapel)
- Every 2nd Friday: 12:00 pm (St. Vianney Chapel)
St. Michael’s Catholic Church Contact Information:
Address: 15 Abdullah Bin Anees St-21st St – Halwan Suburb Al Yarmook – Sharjah – United Arab Emirates
Parish Office Timings: 8:00 am – 12 noon; 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm (Daily)
Telephone Number: +971 6 5662424
Email: sharjahstmichael@gmail.com
Website: stmichaelssharjah.org
Google Map Location:
Aside from St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Al Yarmook is home to a number of Christian churches, which makes it an ideal neighborhood for Christians in the UAE to stay in.
This is also one of the reasons many expats get apartments for rent in Bu Daniq or in nearby locations. Aside from the accessibility to the church, the area is also considered as one of the most well-established neighborhoods in the city, around 15 minutes away from the Sharjah International Airport.
And while gatherings are limited at the moment, you can easily join online masses through the church’s Facebook page, which is also a great way to connect with the community during these difficult times.
Have you been to St. Michael’s Church before the quarantine was enforced? How was your experience visiting the area? If you’re a member of the Catholic community, would you recommend this church to your friends and family in the UAE? Let us know what you think by commenting down below!
ALSO READ: List of Catholic Churches in the UAE