‘Our Christmas’ as Catholics in Saudi Arabia
For a million Christians from the Philippines, India, and other countries, the "miracle of the Internet" now allows them to discreetly experience the celebrations and rites of their tradition in their own homes. In the fourth instalment of the AsiaNews report, we look at the people who celebrate in the "Church of the Catacombs" in the kingdom where no faith other than Sunni Islam is permitted. Presence and participation are, little by little, overcoming fear and mistrust.
Riyadh (AsiaNews) – Seen from the outside, with some of the city’s minarets visible in the background, the inconspicuous building overlooks a large space that was cleared of older houses and buildings to make room for modern constructions that are reshaping the face of Jeddah, a coastal metropolis overlooking the Red Sea.
The city is already plunged into darkness, while nearby, traffic flows uninterrupted until late at night. Inside, in a top-floor flat, a device plays chants from an ancient yet still living tradition: "Glory be to God in the highest."
The words are in Malayam, the language used in the ancient Syro-Malabar liturgy, chanted during the service celebrated in a church in Kerala, visible from the screen. The following day, in a home in a neighbourhood on the eastern outskirts, a priest's voice flows from a tablet. In his homily, he addresses a group of Indian and Philippine faithful, speaking of "persecution, blood faith, and a call for peace."
AsiaNews has frequently covered these topics over the years, and which we can now see firsthand. This is "the miracle of the Internet, which allows us to attend Mass broadcast via Zoom," confides a member of the family hosting us, even though this "is a special occasion due to its variety and uniqueness," after bringing together "people from different parts of the world."
A panoply of different rites, traditions, peoples, and cultures are united "thanks to the Internet," embodying in its truest and deepest sense the notion of "Catholicity" and "prayer" in a country, and a society, where – at least in theory – no faith other than Sunni Islam is allowed.
In reality, the country is home to about a million people whose experience echoes that of the early Christians, recorded in the scriptures during the Roman era and the first persecutions.
Such a community is also a place that is not built with bricks like the traditional places of worship found in the West, but stands with men and women, youth and children with a deep, lively, and steadfast faith despite hardships, fears, and restrictions.
This is the impression one gets from personally meeting Catholics in Saudi Arabia, listening to their stories, and sharing their difficulties, challenges, and hopes, especially during this special period of the liturgical calendar leading up to Christmas.
Saudi Arabia is home to two of the most important cities (along with Jerusalem, al-Quds) in Sunni Islam, Makkah and Madinah, and is a pilgrimage destination for millions of believers every year. Islam is the only officially recognised and practised religion in the kingdom.
Other religions are not permitted, but the oil boom over the past century and the mega-projects launched in recent years have fuelled immigration from both East and West – Europe and the United States, but especially the Philippines, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh – attracting a significant number of expats who, despite severe restrictions and dangers, have sought to live their faith discreetly within their own four walls.
Sometimes, this means running the risk of being raided and searched by the Mutawa, the religious police, resulting in arrests, seizures of material, imprisonment, and expulsion. Since 2018, surveillance continues but controls have been relaxed.
Christianity in its various forms, Buddhism, and Hinduism are some of the religions that are present in the Islam-ruled nation, growing over time, despite the lack of official recognition.
Among the people we met during days spent between Jeddah and Riyadh, the possibility of "worshipping" is precisely the "greatest" desire of most Catholics and one of the reasons that "motivates them to pray”.
This hope may not be too far-fetched, considering the deep social and economic changes brought about by the Saudi government and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of the kingdom’s "Vision 2030" reform plan, which is still evolving.
Speaking about the situation in Saudi Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia (which includes Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, where the vicariate is located), says that professing one's faith can be "sometimes a risk” in the “Church of the catacombs”.
“For this reason,” the prelate explained, "those who wish to follow Christ do so with great intensity.” In a place where there are no places of worship, whether small chapels or large basilicas and cathedrals, "walls aren't needed to profess one's faith, because the people themselves," he said, "become the Church."
"Sometimes, jokingly, I tell them not to rush into having a building to pray, because then you'll be forced to worry about air conditioning, how to pay for electricity, and practical matters that you don't have now. Focus on education, spiritual life, Bible study, and catechism," he said, “since nowadays we have various means at our disposal, such as the Internet, meeting and discussion platforms, and social media, to deepen our faith."
Whether they are Filipinos, Indians, or Lebanese, Catholics in Saudi Arabia are united by a desire to experience the celebrations to the fullest and by a "hunger for the Eucharist," as Thomas (not his real name, like those cited in the article to protect their identity) put it.
In Jeddah, there is a Catholic community of approximately 300,000 people. “Today, during exams in high schools or universities, it is not uncommon to see Christian students reciting the Lord's Prayer before the test,” the Indian Catholic said. “Every meeting or conference attended online involves spiritual exchange and growth."
Unlike parishes in the West, where the faithful attend church, the challenge, said a European Catholic, is "to be able to not just meet, but somehow reach out to people, respond to their needs, starting from their condition as migrants in a country that is not their own."
“From this perspective, it is even more important to reach back to the origins of the faith, and holidays, like Christmas, become opportunities to unite different identities, in the spirit of tradition and hope, highlighting the various rituals."
To illustrate the climate of sharing and unity during these weeks of Advent, a longtime Riyadh devotee told a Christmas anecdote about the Sri Lankan community living in the Saudi capital.
"Every year," he said, "they usually prepare a concert, with traditional festive music, in which fellow compatriots of other faiths also participate: Buddhists, Hindus, and even Muslims. Last year, even they, despite not being Christian, wanted to participate in the preparatory phase, setting up the hall, while the children, in addition to playing, recreated the living nativity scene. It was a particularly touching and meaningful moment, in its extreme simplicity."
For Indians, the weeks of preparation for Christmas are an ideal time to deepen their faith and approach the sacraments, particularly confession, which they request most frequently. Here too, the Internet comes to the rescue, a "miraculous" resource in many ways for "attending Mass and prayers" while homes, wherever possible, "are decorated for the holidays in an atmosphere of great joy."
"We cannot gather outdoors," Anthony noted, "but there is no lack of hope, which is also the motto of this Jubilee Year; we see changes, because compared to the past, the situation has improved even though precautions remain. Certainly, restrictions strengthen faith and the desire to share, but the wish and gift we ask for Christmas is that of greater freedom," while respecting the country's rules and traditions and its strong Islamic identity.
“Generosity and charity," says a government source, “are distinctive traits of Catholics” in Saudi Arabia. “Today Indians, Filipinos, and other nationalities tend to mingle more” compared to the past, when each group usually remained isolated, partly reflecting the need to avoid attracting the attention of the authorities.
For Fady, a Lebanese Maronite, “How different the situation is evinced by the fact that, today, it's not uncommon for [non-Christian] co-workers to send greetings" for the holiday. Compared to the past, it's common to walk into shopping malls or shops decorated with Christmas trees and colourful baubles and see red roses, colourful soaps, decorations, and pictures of Santa Claus on the shelves.”
"Of course, the focus isn't on the Christian element of the Nativity, but rather on the figure of Santa Claus and the commercial aspect. And last year, in an article published in Arab News (the kingdom's main English-language newspaper), a Muslim cleric stated that it is not a sin to say 'Merry Christmas' to a Christian."
Rites, traditions, and ceremonies related to Advent take on a particular significance for the Philippine community, which has tried to experience rituals even in Arabia by connecting to parishes in their home country, relying on what is often referred to as "the miracle of the Internet."
Smartphones, tablets, and computers show religious services that attract millions of faithful back home, from the dawn masses of Simbang Gabi (or Misa del Gallo) and the Novenas to the Christmas Eve celebration with the evening banquet (Noche Buena) and the carols.
“Today, the way we experience Christmas is different from the past," noted Ferdinand, who has been in the kingdom for 30 years. “Now it is more open, so much so that we can at least partially experience the traditional elements of our faith in this land.”
"Christmas in Saudi Arabia means presence and participation, the two pillars of faith that are stronger than fear and mistrust today,” explained Xavier, an Indian, while listening to the ritual in Malayam in the background.
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