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Explained: Why are churches, temples in Dubai closed? Are those in other emirates open?
The move came amid Passion or Holy Week, when churches typically see some of their largest gatherings of the year
- PUBLISHED: Fri 3 Apr 2026, 4:30 PM UPDATED: Fri 3 Apr 2026, 7:37 PM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
Several churches in Dubai announced the cancellation of worship services and masses from today, Friday, April 3, 2026 until further notice. The move came amid Passion or Holy Week, when churches typically see some of their largest gatherings of the year. Christians all over the world celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday. This year, Easter is set to be celebrated on Sunday, April 5.
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Here is everything you need to know about the move:
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Which churches have cancelled services?
So far, the following churches have confirmed that their in-person services have been suspended:
St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral, Dubai
Holy Trinity church in Oud Metha
Mor Ignatius Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Cathedral
St. Mina Dubai church
St Mary’s Catholic Church in Oud Metha and
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Jebel Ali
Evangelical Christian Church of Dubai
Al Bishara Church Dubai
What are churches doing instead?
Many of the churches have decided to conduct their services online. The St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral had a Good Friday service at 7:30am while St. Mary’s Church in Dubai had a service at 6pm online through the church YouTube channel. However, St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Jebel Ali noted that the church will remain closed and no livestream will be available.
How are churches responding?
Bishop Paolo Martinelli of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia asked all parishioners in Dubai and Jebel Ali to respect the temporary closure of church premises in the emirate and invited them to join the celebrations through the available online channels.
In a message to the parishioners of St. Mary’s (Dubai) and St. Francis of Assisi (Jebel Ali), Bishop Paolo said: “It is certainly painful not to be able to take part in person in the beautiful and rich celebrations of the Holy Week. I invite you to offer the difficulties of these days in union with Christ so that this sacrifice may bear fruit for the good of the Church and for peace in the world. We hope to return soon to celebrating together.”
Reverend Raju Jacob, Vicar of the CSI Parish, told Khaleej Times that their parishioners were very understanding of the last-minute decision to move the service online. “We respect the decision of the authorities and know that it was taken keeping our well-being in mind,” he said. “Over 200 people attended our service online and the Bishop prayed for the UAE and the Middle East in general.”
Why has this step been taken?
The move comes amidst heightened precautionary measures in the UAE as part of the regional tensions due to the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war. According to a notice by the Community Development Authority (CDA), seen by Khaleej Times, places of worship are required to conduct their daily prayers and religious activities through online channels until further notice. They said that this was in line with CDA’s commitment to safeguarding worshippers.
Are other places of worship closed?
Several houses of worship have announced their closure following this notification. Dubai's Hindu Temple and the Gurudwara Guru Nanak Darbar Dubai announced that they would remain shut for safety and security reasons, as per official instructions. The Shri Krishna Temple in Bur Dubai also confirmed to Khaleej Times that it will remain closed from today until further notice. On March 9, BAPS Hindu Mandir announced its closure as a precautionary measure. The Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi has also been temporarily closed since the start of the conflict on February 28.
Mosques in the country have remained open but open-air prayer spots were closed for Eid Al Fitr prayer and worshippers were asked to pray inside the mosques. Residents have also noticed that mosques in Dubai are no longer allowing people to pray in open spaces outside the mosques on Fridays.
Are churches in other emirates open?
Yes. Churches in other emirates remain open and are going ahead with their services. The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia (Avosa), which governs the Catholic churches in the UAE, Oman and Yemen, confirmed to Khaleej Times that, at the present time, no changes are reported to the schedule of church services in Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. A parishioner confirmed to Khaleej Times that the Evangelical Church in Abu Dhabi also had in-person services.
