Southern Arabia (Vicariate Apostolic) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Paolo Martinelli, O.F.M. Cap., Vicar Apostolic
Paul Hinder, O.F.M. Cap., Vicar Apostolic Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Vicariate Apostolic
Name Changed: 31 May 2011
Vicariate
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: United Arab Emirates
Square Kilometers: 929,969 (359,200 Square Miles)
Description: Oman, UAE, and Yemen
Official Web Site: https://avosa.org
Mailing Address: Bishop's House, St. Joseph's Cathedral, P.O. Box 54, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Telephone: (02)4461.895
Fax: 4465.177

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Aden
- Latin Name: Adensi
- Erected: 4 May 1888
- Vicariate
- Country: Yemen
Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia
- Latin Name: Arabiae
- Name Changed: 28 June 1889
- Vicariate
- Country: Yemen
- Square Kilometers: 3,182,122 (1,229,094 Square Miles)
- Description: Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 54, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Telephone: (02)4461.895
- Fax: 4465.177

Past and Present Ordinaries

Louis-Callixte Lasserre, O.F.M. Cap. † ( 1886 Appointed - Apr 1900 Resigned)
Jean Chrysostome Bigel, O.F.M. Cap. † (27 Feb 1901 Appointed - Did Not Take Effect)
Bernardine Thomas Edward Clark, O.F.M. Cap. † (21 Mar 1902 Appointed - 10 Jun 1910 Appointed, Bishop of Port Victoria o Seychelles)
Raffaele Filippo Presutti, O.F.M. Cap. † (13 Sep 1910 Appointed - 3 Aug 1914 Died)
Evangelista Latino Enrico Vanni, O.F.M. Cap. † (15 Apr 1916 Appointed - Jan 1927 Resigned)
Pacifico Tiziano Micheloni, O.F.M. Cap. † (25 Apr 1933 Appointed - 6 Jul 1936 Died)
Giovanni Tirinnanzi, O.F.M. Cap. † (2 Jul 1937 Appointed - 21 Oct 1948 Resigned)
Irzio Luigi Magliacani, O.F.M. Cap. † (25 Dec 1949 Appointed - 4 Nov 1969 Retired)
Giovanni Bernardo Gremoli, O.F.M. Cap. † (2 Oct 1975 Appointed - 21 Mar 2005 Retired)
Paul Hinder, O.F.M. Cap. (21 Mar 2005 Appointed - 1 May 2022 Retired)
Paolo Martinelli, O.F.M. Cap. (1 May 2022 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Aden
4 May 1888	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Galla	Vicariate Apostolic of Aden (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia
28 June 1889	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Aden	Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia
29 June 1953	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia (Kuwait)	Prefecture Apostolic of Kuwait (erected)
3 December 1971	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia (Somaliland)	Vicariate Apostolic of Mogadiscio
Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Arabia
31 May 2011	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia	Vicariate Apostolic of Southern 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 Arabia

1950 5,840 10,000,000 .1% 9 9 648 5 4 ap1951

1970 8,222 12,864,230 .1% 1 13 14 587 13 34 11 ap1971

1980 132,800 18,000,000 .7% 4 19 23 5,773 22 70 15 ap1981

1990 500,000 23,750,000 2.1% 7 20 27 18,518 20 65 18 ap1991

1999 1,000,000 36,200,000 2.8% 8 27 35 28,571 1 27 70 20 ap2000

2000 1,300,000 42,250,000 3.1% 9 27 36 36,111 3 27 65 20 ap2001

2001 1,400,000 42,250,000 3.3% 8 29 37 37,837 3 29 65 19 ap2002

2002 1,300,000 42,500,000 3.1% 9 31 40 32,500 3 31 68 21 ap2003

2003 1,300,000 47,760,000 2.7% 8 34 42 30,952 2 34 64 21 ap2004

2004 1,300,500 47,760,669 2.7% 9 36 45 28,900 1 36 64 20 ap2005

2010 2,129,000 62,498,240 3.4% 9 56 65 32,753 1 56 62 23 ap2011

Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Arabia

2012 1,695,914 63,694,479 2.7% 10 61 71 23,886 1 61 62 20 ap2013

2014 942,000 38,185,000 2.5% 7 44 51 18,470 1 48 59 15 ap2015

2017 996,600 41,962,458 2.4% 13 51 64 15,571 1 53 50 16 ap2018

2020 1,002,000 43,907,437 2.3% 13 51 64 15,656 1 53 54 17 ap2021

2022 1,005,600 45,232,171 2.2% 14 55 69 14,573 57 50 17 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 Arabia
1950	5,840	10,000,000	.1%		9	9	648			5	4	ap1951
1970	8,222	12,864,230	.1%	1	13	14	587		13	34	11	ap1971
1980	132,800	18,000,000	.7%	4	19	23	5,773		22	70	15	ap1981
1990	500,000	23,750,000	2.1%	7	20	27	18,518		20	65	18	ap1991
1999	1,000,000	36,200,000	2.8%	8	27	35	28,571	1	27	70	20	ap2000
2000	1,300,000	42,250,000	3.1%	9	27	36	36,111	3	27	65	20	ap2001
2001	1,400,000	42,250,000	3.3%	8	29	37	37,837	3	29	65	19	ap2002
2002	1,300,000	42,500,000	3.1%	9	31	40	32,500	3	31	68	21	ap2003
2003	1,300,000	47,760,000	2.7%	8	34	42	30,952	2	34	64	21	ap2004
2004	1,300,500	47,760,669	2.7%	9	36	45	28,900	1	36	64	20	ap2005
2010	2,129,000	62,498,240	3.4%	9	56	65	32,753	1	56	62	23	ap2011
Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Arabia
2012	1,695,914	63,694,479	2.7%	10	61	71	23,886	1	61	62	20	ap2013
2014	942,000	38,185,000	2.5%	7	44	51	18,470	1	48	59	15	ap2015
2017	996,600	41,962,458	2.4%	13	51	64	15,571	1	53	50	16	ap2018
2020	1,002,000	43,907,437	2.3%	13	51	64	15,656	1	53	54	17	ap2021
2022	1,005,600	45,232,171	2.2%	14	55	69	14,573		57	50	17	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Jean Chrysostome Bigel, O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 27 Feb 1901 - Did Not Take Effect to 1902)
Bernardine Thomas Edward Clark, O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 21 Mar 1902 to 10 Jun 1910)
Giovanni Bernardo Gremoli, O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 2 Oct 1975 to 21 Mar 2005)
Louis-Callixte Lasserre, O.F.M. Cap. † (Prefect: 1886; Vicar Apostolic: 25 Apr 1888 to Apr 1900)
Paulus de Lucignano, O.F.M. Cap. † (Apostolic Administrator: 12 Apr 1915 to 1916)
Irzio Luigi Magliacani, O.F.M. Cap. † (Apostolic Administrator: 23 Oct 1948; Vicar Apostolic: 25 Dec 1949 to 4 Nov 1969)
Pacifico Tiziano Micheloni, O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 25 Apr 1933 to 6 Jul 1936)
Raffaele Filippo Presutti, O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 13 Sep 1910 to 3 Aug 1914)
Giovanni Tirinnanzi, O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 2 Jul 1937 to 21 Oct 1948)
Evangelista Latino Enrico Vanni, O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 15 Apr 1916 to Jan 1927)

Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Arabia

Vicariatus Apostolicus Arabiae Meridionalis