20 November, 2009 A A A | | |
Help AsiaNews | About us | P.I.M.E. |
go to front page




Voli Low Cost Roma
Voli Milano



China | Islam | Economy | Freedom of religion | Vatican
e-mail this to a friend printable version


» 04/10/2006 12:48
SAUDI ARABIA
Catholic priest arrested and expelled from Riyadh
He was caught unawares while celebrating mass in a private apartment. He was visiting Catholic Indians in the country. Like all other non-Muslims, pastoral care is denied them. There are around one million Catholics in Saudi Arabia.

Riyadh (AsiaNews) – A Catholic Indian priest was yesterday forced to leave Saudi Arabia. He was discovered by the religious police as he organized a prayer meeting in the lead-up to Easter. Arrested on 5 April, he remained in police custody for four days and on Saturday 8th April he left for India. The practice of any religion other than Islam is forbidden in Saudi Arabia. Meetings held privately in people's homes, among friends, are also banned.

The priest, Fr George Joshua, belongs to the Malankara rite of Kerala (India). His visit to Catholic Indians in the Saudi Kingdom was planned with his bishop's permission.

On 5 April, Fr George had just celebrated mass in a private house when seven religious policemen (muttawa) broke into the house together with two ordinary policemen. The police arrested the priest and another person.

The Saudi religious police are well known for their ruthlessness; they often torture believers of other religions who are arrested.

AsiaNews sources said there were around 400,000 Indian Catholics in Saudi Arabia who were denied pastoral care. Catholic foreigners in the country number at least one million: none of them can participate in mass while they are in Saudi Arabia. Catechism for their children – nearly 100,000 – is banned.

Often, for feasts like Easter and Christmas, Catholics plan holidays in the Emirates, Bahrain or Abu Dhabi, where at least for once, they are free to attend mass.


e-mail this to a friend printable version

See also
06/22/2005 SAUDI ARABIA
Riyadh: an Indian missionary accused of proselytism is imprisoned
02/09/2005 US - VIETNAM - SAUDI ARABIA
US Commission calls for sanctions against Vietnam and Saudi Arabia for violating religious freedom
07/16/2008 SAUDI ARABIA - VATICAN
Inter-religious conference in Madrid wanted by Saudi King Abdallah
07/21/2006 USA - SAUDI ARABIA
US trusts Riyad's new promise to ensure religious freedom
12/17/2004 saudi arabia
Saudi Christian convert arrested and jailed

Dossier

Editor's choices
CHINA - VATICAN
Underground bishop: I joined the Patriotic Association for the good of the Church
by Zhen Yuan
Mgr. An Shuxin says he was not pressured by the Vatican for his choice. In front of the division created in the diocese of Baoding, priests and experts are asking the Vatican and China to free the ordinary Bishop Su Zhimin, , in prison for the past 13 years.
PAKISTAN - EU
Blasphemy in Pakistan and the European Court’s attack on the crucifix
by Bernardo Cervellera
Launched today from Rome the European leg (France, Holland, Belgium, Germany) of a campaign to raise awareness in Church and society of the plight and oppression of minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Christian one, due to the blasphemy law. A most unusual unity of purpose joins Islamic fundamentalists and European relativists.
CHINA – VATICAN
In Hebei, underground bishop joins Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association
by Bernardo Cervellera
Mgr Francis An Shuxin spent ten years in police custody. Now he is free but still under surveillance, dragged around to meetings to show the correctness of the government’s religious policy. Three bishops remain in police custody. A priest is arrested whilst two are freed to join the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. The Vatican is accused of ambiguities.

Copyright © 2003 AsiaNews C.F. 00889190153 All rights reserved. Content on this site is made available for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not reproduce, republish, sell or otherwise distribute the content or any modified or altered versions of it without the express written permission of the editor. Photos on AsiaNews.it are largely taken from the internet and thus considered to be in the public domain. Anyone contrary to their publication need only contact the editorial office which will immediately proceed to remove the photos.