Kuwait is set to welcome His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin
The State of Kuwait is set to welcome His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, on an official visit from January 14 to 16, 2026, in a landmark event for the Catholic community and the wider Gulf region.
The Vatican’s highest-ranking diplomat will lead a delegation to Kuwait to preside over the solemn proclamation of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi as a Minor Basilica — the first such designation in the Arabian Peninsula — during a ceremony scheduled for Friday, January 16, at 10:00 a.m.
The visit carries deep spiritual and diplomatic significance, underscoring Kuwait’s unique position in the Holy See’s relations with the Gulf.
During his stay, Cardinal Parolin is expected to hold bilateral meetings with senior Kuwaiti officials to reaffirm and strengthen the cordial relations between the Holy See and the State of Kuwait.
The visit also reflects the Vatican’s commitment to interreligious dialogue and its appreciation for Kuwait’s care for diverse communities, conveying a message of friendship, gratitude and hope while assuring Catholics in the Gulf that they remain an integral and cherished part of the universal Church.
