Follow the Pope's funeral here
Mass will be held to pray for Pope Francis on Saturday evening at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai, which will be open to all.
It will be led by Bishop Paolo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, at 7.30pm at St Mary’s, one of the country’s oldest parishes, where more than 40,000 people are expected to gather during the day.
It will offer worshippers an opportunity to reflect on the life and celebrate the legacy of Pope Francis on the day of funeral.
Saturday's gathering is in addition to daily prayers being held at St Joseph’s, St Paul’s and St John the Baptist Church in Abu Dhabi, St Mary’s Church in Al Ain, St Mary’s and St Francis of Assisi in Dubai, St Michel’s in Sharjah and St Anthony in Ras Al Khaimah.
The Mass on Saturday in Dubai is open to all and we expect many people to come to the church to pray for the Pope as he was loved by all
Fr Darick D’souza,
secretary to the Bishop
A book of commemoration will be placed from Thursday at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi for people to record their memories of the 88-year-old Pope Francis, who died on Monday from a stroke and heart failure after battling a severe respiratory infection.
“The bishop has asked all parishes to offer Mass and invite all people to pray for Pope Francis,” Fr Darick D’Souza, secretary to the bishop, told The National.
“We will also place a condolence book from Thursday onwards at St Joseph’s so people can share their thoughts,” Fr D’souza said.
“The Mass on Saturday in Dubai is open to all and we expect many people to come to the church to pray for the Pope as he was loved by all.”
The condolence book will be placed at a prayer corner created at St Joseph’s, with a photograph of a smiling Pope Francis surrounded by flowers.
The faithful have been praying in UAE churches for eternal peace for the late Pope, who became the first Roman Catholic leader to visit the Gulf when he held a Mass in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
“So many have their own special stories of Pope Francis that give them joy,” said Fr D’souza, who is also a priest at St Joseph’s in Abu Dhabi. “The Pope truly cared about people, enjoyed being among them, shaking their hand.”
Prayers for Pope Francis - in pictures
At churches in the UAE, worshippers were overcome with tears as they shared the hope and strength they drew from the Pontiff’s speeches. They also relived the experience of being at the stadium in Abu Dhabi to watch him lead the Mass six years ago.
Last respects
Bishop Martinelli has asked people to pray for Pope Francis over the coming days. At a service late on Monday in Abu Dhabi, he spoke of how Pope Francis, despite his frail health, passed through Rome's St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday to greet people for the last time.
“We are all saddened by his death,” the bishop said in his message. “His pontificate from March 13, 2013, has been extraordinarily rich in prophetic gestures, significant encounters and a deep teaching that has faced the key challenges of our time.
“He showed his closeness to everyone, to the poor, to prisoners, to the sick; he had promoted everyday peace among those who are divided and in war.”
The Vatican has announced that people can pay their respects to the Pope on Wednesday at St Peter’s Basilica after his casket is taken in a procession from the Vatican guesthouse in which he lived.
The funeral ceremony will be on Saturday at 10am (noon UAE) at St Peter’s Square. This will be followed by nine days of mourning and Mass.
In his final will, Pope Francis stated he wanted to be buried at the St Mary Major Basilica in Rome, outside of the Vatican.
In a tradition dating back centuries, more than 100 cardinals under the age of 80 will vote for a papal successor in the Sistine Chapel in a secret ballot known as conclave
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
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Sarfraz (c), Zaman, Imam, Masood, Azam, Malik, Asif, Sohail, Shadab, Nawaz, Ashraf, Hasan, Amir, Junaid, Shinwari and Afridi
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Bournemouth 1 (King 45 1')
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Man of the Match: Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
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Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
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Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
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- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
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- Avoid alcohol
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Pakistan Super League
Previous winners
2016 Islamabad United
2017 Peshawar Zalmi
2018 Islamabad United
2019 Quetta Gladiators
Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286
Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65
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The biog:
Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, basic Russian
Favourite food: Pizza
Best food on the road: rice
Favourite colour: silver
Favourite bike: Gold Wing, Honda
Favourite biking destination: Canada
Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
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Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
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Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
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Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
