Catholic churches in Dubai have suspended all in-person masses until further notice following government directives tied to escalating conflict in the Middle East, disrupting Holy Week worship for thousands of Christians in the United Arab Emirates on Good Friday, April 3, 2026.
St Francis of Assisi Church at Jebel Ali in Dubai announced that all masses at the church were cancelled until further notice, following government directives. The Jebel Ali coastal area has been hit several times by missiles and drones fired by Iran at neighbouring Gulf states in retaliation for the Israeli-US offensive launched on February 28.
St Mary’s Catholic Church in Oud Metha, Dubai, similarly announced that the church would be closed to all visitors until further notice, with Good Friday services at 3pm and 6pm to be streamed online via the church’s YouTube channel instead.
Other churches in Dubai also confirmed service suspensions, including St Thomas Orthodox Cathedral and St Mina Dubai Church. Churches in other emirates, however, remained open, with the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia confirming no changes had been made to service schedules in Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Masses at Dubai’s Catholic churches regularly attract thousands of worshippers over Easter and Christmas, with crowds outside the buildings listening to services through speakers. The cancellations mark one of the most significant disruptions to Christian worship in the Gulf during Holy Week in recent memory.
As communities across the region adapted to the conflict’s reach, Pope Leo XIV used Good Friday to engage directly with world leaders on the urgent need for peace. The American-born pontiff spoke by telephone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and, separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, with the humanitarian situation in each war zone discussed.
During his conversation with Herzog, the pope and the Israeli president reaffirmed the need to reopen all possible channels of diplomatic dialogue to achieve a just and lasting peace throughout the Middle East, and also discussed the importance of protecting the civilian population and promoting respect for international and humanitarian law.
Herzog’s post-call statement said the conversation also covered Iran’s missile threats, the situation in Lebanon, and the safety of Christian communities on both sides of the Israeli-Lebanese border.
With Zelensky, the pope expressed best wishes for the Easter holidays, and both leaders discussed the urgency of providing the necessary aid to the population suffering from the conflict. Reference was also made to efforts aimed at promoting humanitarian initiatives, especially regarding the release of prisoners.
Zelensky disclosed that Russian forces attacked Ukraine again at the very moment he and the pope were speaking, calling it a response to Ukraine’s proposal for an Easter ceasefire.
