Bahrain

For the first time in years, the family of Shia activist Mohammed Ramadhan was allowed physical contact with him during a visit. Sentenced to death based on a confession allegedly extracted through torture, his case was among those raised during the pontiff's trip. His wife remains concerned about his health.

At the general audience Francis reviews his recent trip, answering the question: why visit a country with a very large Islamic majority? "Dialogue is the oxygen of peace. The Christians of the Gulf invite us to broaden our horizons and dedicate ourselves to getting to know others". Commemoration of the Orthodox Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos, "a far-sighted pastor".

A Sister’s testimony introduced the meeting with Pope Francis in Manama. “We involve ourselves in prison ministry,” and “visit hospitals, the sick and needy families,” she said. In a world “changing by leaps and bounds”, the nuns educate “young minds” from migrant families to follow Jesus.

Back from Bahrain, the pontiff appealed to Lebanese leaders. The Maronite patriarch hopes that the pope will be heard. The apostolic journey to Lebanon was cancelled and never rescheduled. The pope remains close to the country and its people, praying for them.

The mass celebrated at the stadium "the most moving moment". The visible "enthusiasm" of tens of thousands of faithful. The 'dedication' of the local community in preparing for the visit. The pontiff's physical suffering, his "fragility" touched the hearts of Muslims too.

Pope Francis’s apostolic journey to Bahrain ended this morning with a meeting with the local clergy, men and women religious and pastoral workers. “It is beautiful,” he said, “to be part of a Church composed of different histories and different faces that find their harmony in the one face of Jesus.” After mentioning the countries of origin of the Catholics living in the Vicariate, Francis also mentioned Lebanon “so weary and sorely tried” and expressed hope for the peace agreement in Ethiopia.

Francis led the Mass at Bahrain's National Stadium attended by thousands of migrant workers from Asia. When Jesus invites us to love our enemies, he “is not idealistic, but realistic”, for that is the only way “to shatter the chains". At the ecumenical meeting, the pontiff said that the Gulf is a laboratory of unity. “Precisely in our own deserts, the Lord loves to open up new and undiscovered paths and makes fountains of living water spring up”.

In his address to the Forum for dialogue with other religious leaders, the Pope calls for fraternity to be made concrete: "In the garden of humanity, instead of caring for the totality, people play with fire, with missiles and bombs. Religion should not be constraint, but freedom, which is opening up to the good for which we were created".

The pontiff makes this appeal right after he arrived in the Gulf country on an apostolic visit. Like bread, work “is often lacking, and often too, it is a bread that is poisoned, since it enslaves.” Speaking about the nearby forgotten war in Yemen, he calls for weapons to fall silent and action be taken to truly build peace.

On the Solemnity of All Saints, Pope Francis spoke about the Beatitudes, made relevant more than ever today by war. Noting that “often what we want is not really peace,” but “to be at peace, to be left in peace,” the pope said that the Gospel reminds us that peace does not fall from above, but it is built with “commitment, collaboration [and] patience.” He also called on the faithful to pray for his upcoming apostolic journey to Bahrain.

A 2,300 seat place of worship inaugurated last year with a statue of Our Lady to whom it is dedicated. The Pontiff will hold an ecumenical meeting and prayer for peace during his trip to the Gulf. Its construction was the fruit of the mission of Mgr Ballin, vicar apostolic who died in 2020.

The imminent papal visit is generating great expectations and enthusiasm in the country, which is part of the Vicariate of Northern Arabia. Set at 8.30 am on 5 November, the papal Mass will pack the local stadium, with early arrivals at night. Some 2,000 visitors are expected from Saudi Arabia.