All Easter masses in Dubai have been cancelled because of the ongoing Middle East war, two Catholic churches in the UAE announced on Friday.
Following government orders, St Francis of Assisi Church at Jebel Ali said that “all Masses are cancelled until further notice.” The announcement added that parishioners should avoid visiting the church for safety. The area has been targeted multiple times by missiles and drones launched by Iran in response to the Israeli-US offensive on February 28.
St Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai made a similar announcement. The church also said that Good Friday’s mass would be streamed online on its YouTube channel instead.
On Friday, Pope Leo XVI spoke with the presidents of Israel and Ukraine, discussing ongoing wars and the need for peace.
The American-born pope spoke by phone with Israel’s Isaac Herzog and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky. The Vatican said the talks focused on humanitarian issues in each conflict zone.
In his conversation with Herzog, the pope emphasized reopening diplomatic channels to end the conflict and achieve lasting peace in the Middle East. They also discussed the protection of civilians and respect for international law.
These discussions coincided with Catholic Holy Week leading to Easter, Jewish Passover for Herzog, and Orthodox Easter preparations in Ukraine for Zelensky, which this year falls on April 12.
Herzog’s office said they exchanged holiday greetings and discussed the Iran war, including missile threats from Iran and its allies affecting all faiths in the region. They also spoke about protecting Christian communities near Lebanon.
During his call with Zelensky, the pope extended Easter greetings and both leaders discussed urgent aid for civilians affected by the war. They also addressed humanitarian efforts, including prisoner releases.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the Vatican has acted behind the scenes to mediate and facilitate prisoner exchanges through diplomatic channels.
Zelensky reported on X that Russia launched new attacks on Ukraine while he spoke with the pope, despite his proposal for an Easter ceasefire. He said Ukrainians “haven’t had a single hour of peace.”
The Vatican said the pope and Zelensky expressed hope that with international cooperation, hostilities could end quickly and peace could be achieved.
In February, Pope Leo called peace in Ukraine “an urgent necessity,” as the war has lasted over four years. Regarding the Middle East conflict, he also urged world leaders to return to dialogue, noting he hoped US President Donald Trump would seek a way to reduce tensions.
