Apostolic Vicars: Bishops accredited to Kuwait
Kuwait
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” — Matthew 4 : 19
History in Brief:
His Lordship Bishop Camillo Ballin, MCCJ, was the first Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia). His Lordship assumed the title on May 31, 2011, the day on which the new ecclesiastical territory of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia came into existence. Prior to this date, he was Apostolic Vicar of Kuwait (2005 – 2011), overseeing the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait.
See also: Reorganisation of the two Vicariates of the Arabian Peninsula
H.L. Bishop Ubaldo Teofano Stella, OCD (Deceased)
FIRST VICAR APOSTOLIC OF KUWAIT (1955 – 1966)
H.L. Bishop Stella was born on 14th July 1910 in Cassano d’Adda, Italy. On 28th October 1932, he was ordained Priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. He served as First Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait from 4th June 1955 until 1966.
| Date | Age | Event | Title |
| 14 Jul 1910 | Born | Cassano d’Adda, Italy | |
| 28 Oct 1932 | 22 | Ordained Priest | Order of Discalced Carmelites |
| 29 Jun 1953 | 43 | Appointed | Superior of Kuwait |
| 4 Jun 1955 | 44 | Appointed | Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait |
| 4 Jun 1955 | 44 | Appointed | Titular Bishop of Antaeopolis |
| 3 Oct 1955 | 45 | Ordained Bishop | Titular Bishop of Antaeopolis |
| 1966 | 55 | Resigned | Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait |
| 9 Nov 1978 | 68 | Died | Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Kuwait |
H.L. Bishop Victor San Miguel, OCD (Deceased)
SECOND VICAR APOSTOLIC OF KUWAIT (1976 – 1981)
H.L. Bishop San Miguel was born on 21st April 1904 in Lequeitio, Spain. On 1st June 1928, he was ordained Priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. He served as Second Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait from 16th July 1976 until 5th November 1981.
| Date | Age | Event | Title |
| 21 Apr 1904 | Born | Lequeitio, Spain | |
| 1 Jun 1928 | 24 | Ordained Priest | Order of Discalced Carmelites |
| 17 Mar 1966 | 61 | Appointed | Apostolic Administrator of Kuwait |
| 31 May 1976 | 72 | Appointed | Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait |
| 16 Jul 1976 | 72 | Ordained Bishop | Titular Bishop of Rusubbicari |
| 5 Nov 1981 | 77 | Retired | Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait |
| 4 Apr 1995 | 91 | Died | Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Kuwait |
H.L. Bishop Francis Micallef, OCD (Deceased)
THIRD VICAR APOSTOLIC OF KUWAIT (1982 – 2005)
H.L. Bishop Francis Micallef was born on 17th December 1928 in Birkirkara, Malta. On 9th May 1954, he was ordained Priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. He served as Third Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait from 15th January 1982 until 14th July 2005.
[ Full Biography ]
H.L. Bishop Camillo Ballin, MCCJ (Deceased)
FIRST APOSTOLIC VICAR OF NORTHERN ARABIA (2011 – 2020)
FOURTH APOSTOLIC VICAR OF KUWAIT (2005 – 2011)
H.L. Bishop Camillo Ballin was the first Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia. He was born on 24th June 1944 in Fontaniva, Padua, Italy. On 30th March 1969, he was ordained Priest of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus. He was appointed Fourth Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait on 2nd September 2005. On May 31, 2011, H.L. Bishop Camillo Ballin was appointed Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia.
[ Full Biography ]
H.E. Bishop Paul Hinder, OFM Cap. (Retired)
APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF NORTHERN ARABIA (2020 – 2023)
Bishop Paul Hinder was born in Bussnang TG, Switzerland, on 22 April 1942. He was ordained a priest on 4 July 1967. On 20 December 2003, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Arabia and was ordained Bishop on 30 January 2004 in Abu Dhabi. He took office on 21 March 2005. Following the demise of H.L. Bishop Camillo Ballin, MCCJ, Bishop Paul was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of Northern Arabia on 13 May 2020 till 2023.
[ Full Biography ]
H.E. Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T.
APOSTOLIC VICAR OF NORTHERN ARABIA (Present)
Bishop Aldo was born in Longeville-lès-Metz (France) on 30th September 1963. He made his perpetual profession in Rome on 17th December 1990. He was ordained a priest in Ars-sur-Moselle (France) on 20th July 1991. He was appointed Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia on 28th January 2023 His Holiness Pope Francis. Msgr. Aldo was consecrated Bishop by His Eminence Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, M.C.C.J. at Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral, Awali, Bahrain on 18th March 2023,
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