Northern Arabia (Vicariate Apostolic) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., Vicar Apostolic

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Vicariate Apostolic
Name Changed: 31 May 2011
Vicariate
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Bahrain
Square Kilometers: 2,179,890 (841,982 Square Miles)
Description: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia
Official Web Site: http://www.avona.org/
Mailing Address: Bihsop's House, P.O. Box 25362, Road 4603, House 137/125, Block 946, Awali, Bahrain

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait
- Latin Name: Kuvaitensis
- Erected: 29 June 1953
- Country: Kuwait
Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait
- Latin Name: Kuvaitensis
- Elevated: 2 December 1954
- Vicariate
- Country: Kuwait
- Square Kilometers: 17,900 (6,913 Square Miles)
- Description: Kuwait
- Mailing Address: Bishop's House, Holy Family Cathedral, P.O. Box 266, 13003 Safat, Kuwait, Arabian Gulf
- Telephone: 2243.46.37
- Fax: 2240.99.81

Past and Present Ordinaries

Ubaldo Teofano Stella, O.C.D. † (29 Jun 1953 Appointed - 4 Jun 1955 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait)
Ubaldo Teofano Stella, O.C.D. † (4 Jun 1955 Appointed - Mar 1966 Resigned)
Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce, O.C.D. † (31 May 1976 Appointed - 5 Nov 1981 Retired)
Francis George Adeodatus Micallef, O.C.D. † (5 Nov 1981 Appointed - 14 Jul 2005 Retired)
Camillo Ballin, M.C.C.I. † (14 Jul 2005 Appointed - 12 Apr 2020 Died)
Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T. (28 Jan 2023 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait
29 June 1953	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia (Kuwait)	Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait
2 December 1954	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait	Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Arabia
31 May 2011	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Arabia

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait

1966 16,000 475,000 3.4% 4 4 4,000 3 12 5 ap1967

1970 17,200 733,196 2.3% 6 6 12 1,433 6 31 4 ap1971

1980 32,000 1,270,000 2.5% 3 4 7 4,571 4 30 3 ap1981

1988 51,430 1,834,756 2.8% 2 5 7 7,347 5 30 5 ap1991

1999 151,000 2,000,000 7.5% 1 5 6 25,166 1 5 12 4 ap2000

2000 151,000 2,000,000 7.5% 1 6 7 21,571 1 6 13 4 ap2001

2001 153,000 2,000,000 7.7% 2 6 8 19,125 1 6 13 4 ap2002

2002 154,000 2,500,000 6.2% 2 6 8 19,250 1 6 13 4 ap2003

2003 156,000 2,501,000 6.2% 2 7 9 17,333 1 7 13 4 ap2004

2004 158,500 2,650,000 6.0% 2 8 10 15,850 1 8 13 4 ap2005

2010 300,000 3,000,000 10.0% 6 11 17 17,647 1 11 12 3 ap2011

Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Arabia

2012 1,127,954 2,650,000 42.6% 7 16 23 49,041 1 16 12 4 ap2013

2014 2,445,000 36,252,722 6.7% 18 40 58 42,155 2 40 18 10 ap2015

2017 2,570,067 40,599,576 6.3% 2 44 46 55,871 2 47 18 11 ap2018

2020 2,752,241 42,956,169 6.4% 16 16 172,015 1 4 18 11 ap2021

2022 2,722,750 43,465,183 6.3% 13 43 56 48,620 1 44 17 11 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait
1966	16,000	475,000	3.4%		4	4	4,000		3	12	5	ap1967
1970	17,200	733,196	2.3%	6	6	12	1,433		6	31	4	ap1971
1980	32,000	1,270,000	2.5%	3	4	7	4,571		4	30	3	ap1981
1988	51,430	1,834,756	2.8%	2	5	7	7,347		5	30	5	ap1991
1999	151,000	2,000,000	7.5%	1	5	6	25,166	1	5	12	4	ap2000
2000	151,000	2,000,000	7.5%	1	6	7	21,571	1	6	13	4	ap2001
2001	153,000	2,000,000	7.7%	2	6	8	19,125	1	6	13	4	ap2002
2002	154,000	2,500,000	6.2%	2	6	8	19,250	1	6	13	4	ap2003
2003	156,000	2,501,000	6.2%	2	7	9	17,333	1	7	13	4	ap2004
2004	158,500	2,650,000	6.0%	2	8	10	15,850	1	8	13	4	ap2005
2010	300,000	3,000,000	10.0%	6	11	17	17,647	1	11	12	3	ap2011
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Arabia
2012	1,127,954	2,650,000	42.6%	7	16	23	49,041	1	16	12	4	ap2013
2014	2,445,000	36,252,722	6.7%	18	40	58	42,155	2	40	18	10	ap2015
2017	2,570,067	40,599,576	6.3%	2	44	46	55,871	2	47	18	11	ap2018
2020	2,752,241	42,956,169	6.4%	16		16	172,015	1	4	18	11	ap2021
2022	2,722,750	43,465,183	6.3%	13	43	56	48,620	1	44	17	11	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Camillo Ballin, M.C.C.I. † (Vicar Apostolic: 14 Jul 2005 to 12 Apr 2020)
Francis George Adeodatus Micallef, O.C.D. † (Vicar Apostolic: 5 Nov 1981 to 14 Jul 2005)
Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce, O.C.D. † (Apostolic Administrator: 17 Mar 1966; Vicar Apostolic: 31 May 1976 to 5 Nov 1981)
Ubaldo Teofano Stella, O.C.D. † (Superior: 29 Jun 1953 to 4 Jun 1955; Vicar Apostolic: 4 Jun 1955 to Mar 1966)

Source(s)

Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 45, Page 835, and Page 836
Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 47, Page 204, and Page 205

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Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Arabia

Vicariatus Apostolicus Arabiae Septentrionalis