On October 24, 2023, the Church of the Arabian Peninsula turned festive as it celebrated the opening of the Extraordinary Jubilee of St. Arethas and Companions on the occasion of the 1500th anniversary of their martyrdom. A Solemn Pontifical Mass was presided by Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, and concelebrated by Bishop Paul Hinder, OFMCap., apostolic administrator emeritus of Northern Arabia, and Bishop Claudio Lurati, M.C.C.J., apostolic vicar of Alexandria in Egypt. Thirty priests representing the different parishes of the Vicariate of Northern Arabia also participated at the solemn liturgy, led by its vicar general, Fr. Ben Barrameda.
Prior to the Jubilee Mass, the Holy Door of the Parish of St. Arethas and Companions was blessed and opened in a moving ceremony by Bishop Aldo Berardi, along with Bishop Paul Hinder and Bishop Claudio Lurati. Following the Decree issued in August by the Apostolic Penitentiary in the name of Pope Francis, pilgrimage to the Holy Door during the jubilee year grants the faithful a Plenary Indulgence on satisfaction of the three usual conditions (Confession, Communion, Prayer for the intentions of the Pope). Bishop Aldo also blessed the shrine of St. Arethas which is expected to host the holy relics of the great Arab martyr, a magnificent gift of the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, to the Christian communities in the Gulf.
Across the northern vicariate, the different parishes celebrated the liturgy in honor of the holy martyrs. These various celebrations marked the official opening of the extraordinary jubilee in honor of St. Arethas and Companions being jointly celebrated by the north and the south vicariates of the Arabian Gulf.
In his homily at the Jubilee Mass, Bishop Aldo emphasized the importance of remembering the group of Arab Christians who were martyred for their steadfast faith in Christ and who can be considered as ancestors in the faith of the present generation of Christians in the Gulf. He also exhorted the faithful to renew their missionary spirit and deepen their faith, to bear witness to Christ and the Gospel by living a holy and consistent life.
At the conclusion of the holy mass, Bishop Aldo imparted to the faithful the Papal Blessing with attached Plenary Indulgence in the name of the Pope. The solemn celebration also featured hymns in honor of the martyrs which were especially composed for the inaugural mass of the Jubilee.
The festivities continued the following day with choirs from several communities performing original songs in different languages as tribute to St. Arethas and Companions. The ministry of Altar Servers presented a stirring stage play on the life and martyrdom of the Najran saints, to the delight of the congregation and guests.
With the success of the weeklong celebrations inaugurating the Jubilee, the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia looks forward to a profound year of grace and blessings.
