How to Get Tickets for Pope Francis UAE Papal Mass 2019

Those wishing to attend should register with their churches to avoid disappointment

Posted on

14 January 2019

| Last updated on 4 August 2019

by Rebecca Roberts

Catholics in the UAE are gearing up for the arrival of Pope Francis next month...

His visit will be a landmark moment in interfaith relations for the UAE, and his visit to Abu Dhabi early February will be a historic meeting.

During his official itinerary, Pope Francis will be visiting Abu Dhabi's treasure, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and attending official meetings with members of the Royal Family. On his last day, a public Holy Mass will be held at Zayed Sports City - and Catholics in the UAE will be able to attend before his departure back to Rome.

There's over one million Catholics residing in the UAE but only 120,000 people will be able to witness Pope Francis’ Papa Mass in person. There will be limited capacity and tickets will be limited to this number.

To help make sure you don't miss your chance to gain tickets to the Papal Mass this February, here's what you need to do:

How to get tickets to Pope Francis' mass in UAE

Please note: all tickets are free of charge. Residents are being warned against scams and are advised against paying for any tickets to the event.

Tickets are being distributed by the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia (AVOSA) Papal Visit Office. All are expected to reach parishes before or around 20th January, 2019.

The majority of tickets will go to AVOSA, but a quota will also be reserved for the north Arabia counter-part.

Tickets will be distributed to individual parishes throughout the Arab region. To discover whether your church will have tickets available for the Papal Mass this February, contact your local church in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

To become a parishioner to one of the UAE's church, follow the below instructions-

St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dubai

Parishioners, new and existing, of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dubai must complete an online registration application process. Applicants will need to provide their Baptism name, their passport details, Emirates ID and contact details. Both families and individuals are able to register.

St. Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi

Instructions for registration vary depending on whether you're a member of an AVOSA country, AVONA or a non-GCC resident. Full details can be found here.

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Dubai

Those wishing to register as a parishioner to the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Dubai can do so by visiting this page. Registrants must provide the parish office with their Baptism name, passport details, Emirates ID and contact details.

For non-GCC residents

A very limited number of tickets are available to the public for attendance to the Papal Mass on February 5th, 2019. Tickets for non-GCC residents at Zayed Sports City will be issued on a first come, first served basis and registration for these tickets can be completed here.