KUWAIT: Kuwait and the Vatican welcomed on Thursday the official visit of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of Pope Leo XIV, to Kuwait, which will last three days. In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the ministry of foreign affairs said a round of official talks was held with HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. The visit coincides with celebrations marking the designation of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi as a minor basilica, in recognition of its historical and spiritual significance. The title was granted by Pope Leo XIV on June 28, 2025.
The statement noted that this designation — the first of its kind in the Arabian Peninsula — reflects the unique role of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia as Kuwait’s “mother church” and the country’s first Catholic church. The original chapel was built in 1948, while the current church was completed in 1957 with the support of local donors, whose patronage and care for the church complex continue to this day.
Kuwait reaffirmed its long-standing principles of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among religions, values deeply rooted in the country’s foundations and later enshrined in its Constitution. The statement also recalled the historic visit of the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the Holy See on May 6, 2010, which marked a milestone in bilateral relations. That visit followed a 2009 visit by former Prime Minister HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and was later followed by a 2015 visit by the late Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
The official ceremony marking the declaration of the Ahmadi church as a minor basilica is scheduled for Friday at 10:00 am and will be presided over by Cardinal Parolin. The statement added that the visit aims to further strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Kuwait and the Holy See, which have maintained diplomatic relations since 1968, when Kuwait became the first GCC country to establish such ties with the Vatican. The visit also reflects Kuwait’s deeply rooted tradition of religious coexistence within the Gulf region.
Earlier, HH the Prime Minister received Cardinal Parolin at Bayan Palace in the presence of Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations and avenues of cooperation, as well as issues of mutual interest.
Al-Yahya also met with Parolin, during which they reviewed the longstanding relations of friendship and mutual respect between Kuwait and the Holy See, founded on shared humanitarian values, dialogue, understanding and respect. The talks also addressed ways to enhance cooperation, particularly in promoting a culture of peace, coexistence and human values. The two sides exchanged views on key regional and international developments and efforts to bolster security, stability and dialogue among peoples and religions, as well as support international initiatives aimed at achieving peace. The meeting concluded with a luncheon hosted by the foreign minister in honor of Parolin and the accompanying delegation. – KUNA
