St. Mary's Catholic Church welcomes UAE's faithful

Tall and shady trees, bursts of coloured flowers, neatly lined parapets and a convenient café outlet collectively bestow a recreational appeal to the church compound. It is a place to socialise, refresh, mingle and generally improve one's well-being.

Visitors may sense its welcoming and reassuring atmosphere while praying at the grotto, which is dedicated to Mother Mary, or strolling around the paved compound that skirts the main church building. There is an acceptable familiarity to a well-loved church from one's homeland that swells the air, calling out from the backroads of one's memory

Certain masses that are held in honour of the feasts of Saints, as well as Novena prayers and Solemn Rosary prayers are performed at the grotto. In fact, the most awaited moment is the midnight mass held during Christmas Eve, to welcome crowds of up to 25,000 faithful who congregate at this annual landmark event on Dubai's calendar.

The grotto is a focal point upon which visitors may offer flowers, candles and prayers. Its arched rock, and flower garden has been redesigned to accentuate the beauty and holiness of this structure. The cheerful din around the compound tends to soften nearer the grotto, where people can stand and kneel upon the paved floor to quietly recite their prayers.

The growing number of people who are drawn to this gracious grotto, with its open sky above, has led to a reorganisation of its layout. It allows a smooth flow of people who like to pray at this site. The flowers are refreshed to commemorate the season; Christmas pictures taken at the grotto are celebrated with pots of red and white poinsettias in the offing. In fact, a visit to the church seems incomplete without a stroll to the picturesque and flowering grotto.

In order to receive blessings and hear a mass in one's preferred language, faithful worshippers visit St. Mary's Church for a choice of services in Arabic, English, French, Konkani, Malayalam, Portuguese, Sinhalese, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu.

At popular feasts, such as Christmas, New Year and Easter, the compound serves as areas where overflowing crowds can follow the mass service. It is facilitated by means of projected screens and loudspeakers. The Good Friday mass is known to utilise the outdoor area to carry out the Stations of the Cross.

The church building has, over time, maintained familiar and well-loved artwork within its elegantly structured walls. Grand pictures are appointed within the chapel and in the main church. Set in mosaic art, the pictures are accented in pale gold and colours that are symbolic and denote significance to the church and its wealth of teachings.

Coloured stained glass windows bearing images of important incidents, such as the reverence of two fishes, decoratively resonates the religious beliefs upheld by churchgoers. The solid marble bowls of blessed water stationed at the church entrances allow visitors to dip their fingers and prepare themselves for mass service.

The earliest daily service in English starts at 5am, and the last daily mass is at 7pm. The timings are scheduled to accommodate several visitors who flock to the church before and after their working hours.

By its beauty, homely atmosphere, allotment of mass timings, structured seating arrangements and well-organised planning, St. Mary's Church in Dubai has made itself a comfort zone to many people in Dubai and the UAE. The opening of Oudh Mehta Metro Station situated close by brings with it a steady flow of visitors.

The church is fondly remembered by people who have lived in the UAE from decades ago, holding with it memories of christenings, marriage ceremonies and special days spent with family and loved ones. Almost every photo album that belongs to visitors from the 1970s and 1980s contain precious photographs of family gatherings that were held at this historic church.

In its 61st year, St. Mary's Catholic Church continues to be a place of dedicated worship and benevolence to the parish community, and where tolerance and goodwill are also nestled within its premises.

Melissa Randhawa is a UAE-based journalist with over 20 years of experience. Born and raised in Dubai, she enjoys research writing about its multicultural community, and the people who shape the nation.

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