Catholic World News

Bahrain's king offers shelter to Christian refugees from Iraq

August 27, 2014

King Hamad Bin Isa al Khalifa of Bahrain has offered refuge to 200 Christian refugee families from Mosul, Iraq, the Zenit news agency reports.

"This shows his generosity toward Christians," remarked Bishop Camillo Ballin, the apostolic vicar for Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. The bishop said that the Islamic State is rejected by responsible Muslims, adding that "I have not found statements supporting ISIS in Bahrain or Kuwait or elsewhere."

Located just off the coast of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain is one of the countries in the region where Christians can practice their faith openly. Earlier this year King Hamad donated land for the construction of a Catholic cathedral, which will serve a population of about 2.5 million Catholics-- nearly all of them guest workers-- on the Arabian peninsula. Construction work on the cathedral began in June.

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