Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain has started constructing the largest Catholic church in the North Arabian Gulf region at a cost of $30 million.

"The state has provided all the necessary resources for building this huge project," said National Evangelical Church pastor and Head of Al-Bayareq Al Baidha Society Reverend Hani Aziz.

Aziz further stated that "Bahrain is a model for coexistence among religions. There are no political benefits here and there is no hatred. Everyone from all the sects are united in a melting pot of love, peaceful coexistence and respect for each other's beliefs, where everyone practices their rituals freely, a matter which has amazed both the Arab and Western worlds."

The Reverend pointed out that "100 Christian families in Bahrain practice religion freely and transparently without any harassment. Bahrain has become a safe and healthy environment for the Christian religion, which enjoys the full support of the state at all political, economic and social levels."

He said that "18 official churches are registered under the umbrella of the Ministry of Social Development in Bahrain and more than 100 mini-churches in hotels and houses operate without any civil or state harassment, which makes Bahrain fit to attract the Christian religion to its land."

The majority of Bahraini Christians are Orthodox Christians, and the Orthodox are the largest Christian denomination among Bahraini Christians.

There are currently 100 Bahraini Christian families residing in the country. The largest of which are six families: Haider, Nassif, Samaan, Auji, Wadie and Anton.

Arabic Version