Christianity is thought to have reached the Gulf as early as the 5th century, but for many years knowledge of its presence was mostly restricted to ancient texts.
That changed in 1992 when the remains of a church and monastery were discovered on Sir Bani Yas Island by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archeological Survey (Adia), headed by the late Peter Hellyer.
The site has proved to be a treasure trove of finds over the years. The discovery this week of a 1,400-year-old Christian cross on a stucco plaque is just the latest.
The cross was probably placed on a wall as an object of veneration for what we now know was a thriving community of up to 40 monks, who made Sir Bani Yas their home for perhaps well over a century.
What is the oldest evidence of Christianity in the Gulf?
Digs over the past 30 years have unearthed buildings including the foundations of a church, kitchen and dormitory in a series of courtyard buildings, along with a burial ground.
The monastery at Sir Bani Yas, though, is not the oldest evidence gathered so far about Christianity in the Gulf. Old stories of a Christian community at Samahij on Bahrain’s north coast were confirmed last year with the discovery of what may have been a bishop’s palace.
Dating from the 4th century – and therefore preceding the Sir Bani Yas Monastery by at least a century – the team from the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and the University of Exeter have so far found the remains of several buildings, including a dining area and three living rooms.
These early Christians were followers of what is known as the Nestorian branch of the church, which split from the main Eastern church in the 5th century in a dispute over the true nature of Christ that opponents saw as heresy.
Despite these controversies, the Nestorian church continued to thrive in the east, reaching modern-day Iraq, as far as Sri Lanka, and even China, where Nestorian stone crosses have been found in a district of Beijing and Inner Mongolia.
The palace in Bahrain seems to have been occupied by the Bishop of Meshmahig, the old name for Samahil. The bishops had a difficult relationship with the main body of the church with one excommunicated in 410 BCE, around the time of the founding of the Bahrain community.
Nestorian missionaries continued to spread through the Gulf and across the Arabian Sea. In 2022 remains of another monastery were discovered on Al Sinniya, an island off the coast of Umm Al Quwain, along with chalices and a cistern possibly used for baptisms.
That discovery, and the one in Bahrain, brings the total number of Christian communities found in the Gulf to seven, with a stone cross unearthed in Qatar, and a church and bronze crosses near Jubail in eastern Saudi Arabia.
On the Iranian side of the Gulf, tombs with Nestorian crosses have been found on Kharg island, along with a church and monastery.
What about Islam?
These communities existed until the arrival of Islam and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed in the 7th century. Islam reached what is now the UAE when envoys arrived around the time of the Prophet’s death in 632.
As populations accepted Islam, the monasteries and churches fell into decline and were eventually abandoned, with no evidence of violence. A mosque was built over the bishop’s palace in Bahrain. It would be over a thousand years before the palace was revealed again.
Memories remained of Christian presence in the Gulf, however. Christians were sometimes referred to simply as Nestorians, and Muslims knew of the feast of Eid al Milad, or the Festival of the Birth, when referring to Christmas.
Rulers of Abu Dhabi, including UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, showed religious tolerance by supporting Christians arriving to work and live in setting up churches and places to worship.
It was in the same spirit that the monastery on Sir Bani Yas was uncovered, with Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, saying the new discovery of the cross “stirs within us a deep sense of pride and honour and reminds us that peaceful coexistence is not a modern construct but a principle woven into the very fabric of our region’s history”.
The monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island – in pictures
TV (UAE time);
OSN Sports: from 10am
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The biog
Name: Dr Lalia Al Helaly
Education: PhD in Sociology from Cairo
Favourite authors: Elif Shafaq and Nizar Qabbani.
Favourite music: classical Arabic music such as Um Khalthoum and Abdul Wahab,
She loves the beach and advises her clients to go for meditation.
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
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More on Quran memorisation:
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
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Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
