The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has approved the new liturgical calendar particular for the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia (AVOSA), designating it with three new patron saints.
Saints Peter and Paul were chosen as the official patron saints of the ecclesiastical territory, alongside the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Arabia, patroness of all Gulf countries.
The feast day of Saints Peter and Paul will be celebrated on June 29, and Our Lady of Arabia on the Saturday after the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The new liturgical calendar also honors saints with a direct connection to AVOSA, including the Blessed Charles Deckers, a missionary priest in Yemen who was martyred in Algeria (8 May), the Ethiopian King Caleb who contributed to the Christianization of Yemen (15 May), and the 6th-century Yemeni martyrs Arethas and companions (24 October).
Also honored in the calendar are saints who helped spread Christianity in Arabia, including the 7th-century Qatari mystic Saint Issac the Syrian (29 January), the 5th-century ascetic Simeon Stylite (27 July), 3rd-century martyrs Cosmas and Damian (26 September), and the Syrian soldier-martyrs Sergius and Bacchus (8 October).
To highlight AVOSA’s ecumenical openness and interreligious fraternity, the new calendar commemorates figures of profound significance in Eastern Christianity and other Abrahamic religions. This includes Saint Isaac and the patriarch Abraham (9 October), as well as the prophet Moses (4 September).
Furthermore, the Vatican also approved Ember Days for AVOSA, which are days of penance traditionally held at the beginning of different seasons in the liturgical year.
Every First Friday of March, which falls within the Lenten Season, will be dedicated to the intention of peace and vocation in AVOSA.
Meanwhile, the First Fridays of June and November, marking the onset of summer and winter, respectively, will be days of thanksgiving for the gifts of creation and stewardship, as well as praying for good weather.
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