VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis appointed Bishop Paolo Martinelli as his apostolic vicar for Southern Arabia, with jurisdiction over Catholics residing in the UAE, Oman and Yemen.
Martinelli, 58, is a Franciscan Capuchin friar. Since 2014, he has held the office of auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Milan. A former professor of theology in Rome, he will now replace, in Abu Dhabi, Archbishop Paul Hinder, 78, who has retired.
Hinder had been appointed apostolic vicar to Southern Arabia 17 years ago.
Sources in the Archdiocese of Milan, where nearly 50,000 Muslims live, told Arab News that Martinelli has always been “very keen on inter-religious dialogue.” In Milan, the same source added that “he was very loved by the young faithful.”
The Vicariate for Southern Arabia is a seat of the Catholic Church immediately subject to the Holy See. It has jurisdiction over all Catholics residing in the UAE, Oman and Yemen. In 2020, this area counted 1,002,000 baptized from over 100 countries, mainly the Philippines, India and other Asian countries.
