In 2020, there were an estimated 289 Christian Kuwaitis residing in Kuwait,[2] along with an estimated 837,585 non-citizen Christians.[3] In total, they make up 17.93% of the population.
A 2015 study estimates some 350 Christians in Kuwait who are ex-Muslim.[4]
Kuwait is the only GCC country besides Bahrain to have a local Christian population who hold citizenship.[5][6]
Christian Kuwaitis can be divided into two groups. The first group includes the earliest, who were Iraqi Christian (Assyrian/Chaldean) and Turkish Christian (Antiochian Greek) immigrants and their local-born descendants.[7] They have assimilated into Kuwaiti society, like their Muslim counterparts, and tend to speak Arabic with a Kuwaiti dialect; their food and culture are also predominantly Kuwaiti. The make up less than a quarter of Kuwait's Christian population. The rest (roughly three-quarters) of Christian Kuwaitis make up the second group. They are more recent arrivals in the 1950s and 1960s, mostly Kuwaitis of Palestinian ancestry who were forced out of Palestine after 1948.[7] There are also smaller numbers who originally hail from Syria and Lebanon.[7] This second group is not as assimilated as the first group, as their food, culture, and Arabic dialect still retain a Levant feel. However, they are just as patriotic as the former group, and tend to be proud of their adopted homeland, with many serving in the army, police, civil, and foreign service. Most of Kuwait's citizen Christians belong to 12 large families, with the Shammas (from Turkey) and the Shuhaibar (from Palestine) families being some of the more prominent ones.[7]
Although there is a small community of Christian citizens, a law passed in 1981 prevents the naturalization of non-Muslims; however, male citizens who were Christians before 1980 (and male children born to families of such citizens since that date), can transmit their citizenship to their children.[8]
Traditionally, Eastern Orthodox Christians in Kuwait belong to the jurisdiction of Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. Eastern Orthodox parish in Kuwait was reorganized in 1969 by late metropolitan Constantine Papastephanou of Baghdad and Kuwait (1969-2014), who visited Kuwait on many occasions.[9] His successor is Metropolitan Ghattas Hazim of Baghdad and Kuwait (since 2014). His official seat remains in Baghdad, but administrative headquarters of the Archdiocese are located in Kuwait. Today, Eastern Orthodox parishes in Kuwait are administered by priests Ephrem Toumi and Filimon Saifi.[10]
Notable peopleedit
Amanuel Benjamin Ghareeb (born 1950), an important Kuwaiti priest and representative of the Evangelical Church of Kuwait.[7] He is the first Gulf Arab to become head of a Protestant church.
Prince Varughese, an expatriate, born and raised in Kuwait, was ordained as Kasseesa of the Marthoma Syrian Church on September 3, 2010, at the N.E.C.K by the H.G Joseph Marthoma Metropolitan[11]
The denominations of both citizen and foreign Christians in Kuwait include, but are not limited to, the following:
140,000 Catholics in Kuwait. There is a cathedral in Kuwait City, which belongs to the Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait. The Catholic Vicariate is largely made up of Asians from the Malay-speaking countries (Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia), the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, and Arab Christians from Lebanon (Maronite and Melkite rites), Egypt (Coptic rite), Jordan, Palestine and Syria (Syriac and Melkite rites). Maronite Christians, mostly from Lebanon, also worship at the Catholic cathedral in Kuwait City. A small group of Catholics are from Europe and the Americas.
In 2012 the country had 7 official churches and 18 non-official churches, with Kuwait's largest cathedral being situated in the eastern part of Kuwait city.[12]
^World Religion Database at the ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-08
^"Nationality By Religion and Nationality". Government of Kuwait (in Arabic).
^"PACI Statistics". Kuwait Public Authority for Civil Information. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
^Johnstone, Patrick; Miller, Duane (2015). "Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background: A Global Census". Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. 11: 16. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
^"Kuwaiti Christians safe here in Kuwait ... Amen". Arab Times - Kuwait News. 26 December 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
^"An inside look at the native Christian community of Kuwait". 25 December 2017.
^ abcde. arabtimesonline.com. 2012. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
^. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
^"Dn. Prince Varghese Madathileth ordained as Priest of the Malankara Mar Thoma syrian Church of Malabar". www.indiansinkuwait.com. 5 September 2010.
^"جدل حول فتوى «الأوقاف» بإجازة بناء كنائس جديدة" [Controversy over the fatwa of the “Endowments” authorizing the construction of new churches]. www.alanba.com.kw (in Arabic). 28 July 2012.
christianity, kuwait, minority, religion, 2020, catholicism, orthodox, protestantism, independent, christian, other, christian, 2020, there, were, estimated, christian, kuwaitis, residing, kuwait, along, with, estimated, citizen, christians, total, they, make,. Christianity in Kuwait is a minority religion Christianity in Kuwait 2020 1 Catholicism 80 Orthodox 18 Protestantism 2 5 Independent Christian 1 5 Other Christian 0 6 In 2020 there were an estimated 289 Christian Kuwaitis residing in Kuwait 2 along with an estimated 837 585 non citizen Christians 3 In total they make up 17 93 of the population A 2015 study estimates some 350 Christians in Kuwait who are ex Muslim 4 Contents 1 Kuwaiti Christians 1 1 Notable people 2 Expatriate Christians 3 Churches 4 See also 5 References 6 Sources 7 External linksKuwaiti Christians editKuwait is the only GCC country besides Bahrain to have a local Christian population who hold citizenship 5 6 Christian Kuwaitis can be divided into two groups The first group includes the earliest who were Iraqi Christian Assyrian Chaldean and Turkish Christian Antiochian Greek immigrants and their local born descendants 7 They have assimilated into Kuwaiti society like their Muslim counterparts and tend to speak Arabic with a Kuwaiti dialect their food and culture are also predominantly Kuwaiti The make up less than a quarter of Kuwait s Christian population The rest roughly three quarters of Christian Kuwaitis make up the second group They are more recent arrivals in the 1950s and 1960s mostly Kuwaitis of Palestinian ancestry who were forced out of Palestine after 1948 7 There are also smaller numbers who originally hail from Syria and Lebanon 7 This second group is not as assimilated as the first group as their food culture and Arabic dialect still retain a Levant feel However they are just as patriotic as the former group and tend to be proud of their adopted homeland with many serving in the army police civil and foreign service Most of Kuwait s citizen Christians belong to 12 large families with the Shammas from Turkey and the Shuhaibar from Palestine families being some of the more prominent ones 7 Although there is a small community of Christian citizens a law passed in 1981 prevents the naturalization of non Muslims however male citizens who were Christians before 1980 and male children born to families of such citizens since that date can transmit their citizenship to their children 8 Traditionally Eastern Orthodox Christians in Kuwait belong to the jurisdiction of Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East Eastern Orthodox parish in Kuwait was reorganized in 1969 by late metropolitan Constantine Papastephanou of Baghdad and Kuwait 1969 2014 who visited Kuwait on many occasions 9 His successor is Metropolitan Ghattas Hazim of Baghdad and Kuwait since 2014 His official seat remains in Baghdad but administrative headquarters of the Archdiocese are located in Kuwait Today Eastern Orthodox parishes in Kuwait are administered by priests Ephrem Toumi and Filimon Saifi 10 Notable people edit Amanuel Benjamin Ghareeb born 1950 an important Kuwaiti priest and representative of the Evangelical Church of Kuwait 7 He is the first Gulf Arab to become head of a Protestant church Prince Varughese an expatriate born and raised in Kuwait was ordained as Kasseesa of the Marthoma Syrian Church on September 3 2010 at the N E C K by the H G Joseph Marthoma Metropolitan 11 Expatriate Christians editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed September 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message nbsp Holy Family Cathedral Kuwait City The denominations of both citizen and foreign Christians in Kuwait include but are not limited to the following 140 000 Catholics in Kuwait There is a cathedral in Kuwait City which belongs to the Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait The Catholic Vicariate is largely made up of Asians from the Malay speaking countries Malaysia Brunei Singapore Indonesia the Philippines Sri Lanka Bangladesh India and Pakistan and Arab Christians from Lebanon Maronite and Melkite rites Egypt Coptic rite Jordan Palestine and Syria Syriac and Melkite rites Maronite Christians mostly from Lebanon also worship at the Catholic cathedral in Kuwait City A small group of Catholics are from Europe and the Americas 200 000 Orthodox Christians at least The Greek Orthodox Church has about 3 500 members while the Armenian Orthodox Church has about 4 000 members The Coptic Orthodox Church has about 60 000 members Totals for both the Greek Catholic Eastern Rite Church membership and Indian Orthodox Church membership are more than 60 000 The Ethiopian and Russian Orthodox Churches have a membership of 70 000 The Marthoma Syrian Church has a membership of about 40 000 The Syrian Orthodox Church has a membership of about 20 000 The Anglican Church has about 115 members The National Evangelical Church of Kuwait has about 15 000 members There are also a number of other Protestant denominations in the country These denominations include the India Pentecostal Church of God Assemblies of God in India Church of God Full Gospel in India The Pentecostal Mission Seventh day Adventist Church Other religious groups include the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints LDS Church which has a ward congregation of approximately 300 that meets in a villa in Salmiyah Churches edit nbsp Our Lady of Arabia Parish AhmadiIn 2012 the country had 7 official churches and 18 non official churches with Kuwait s largest cathedral being situated in the eastern part of Kuwait city 12 See also editCatholic Church in Kuwait Christianity in the Middle East Christianity in Eastern Arabia Arab ChristiansReferences edit World Religion Database at the ARDA website retrieved 2023 08 08 Nationality By Religion and Nationality Government of Kuwait in Arabic PACI Statistics Kuwait Public Authority for Civil Information Retrieved 1 February 2019 Johnstone Patrick Miller Duane 2015 Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background A Global Census Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion 11 16 Retrieved 28 October 2015 Kuwaiti Christians safe here in Kuwait Amen Arab Times Kuwait News 26 December 2019 Retrieved 30 December 2019 An inside look at the native Christian community of Kuwait 25 December 2017 a b c d e Christians Enjoy Religious Freedom arabtimesonline com 2012 Archived from the original on 2 April 2015 US State Dept 2022 report Memory Eternal Metropolitan Constantine Papastephanou Official Page of the Eastern Orthodox Archdiocese of Baghdad Kuwait and Dependencies Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 22 October 2016 Dn Prince Varghese Madathileth ordained as Priest of the Malankara Mar Thoma syrian Church of Malabar www indiansinkuwait com 5 September 2010 جدل حول فتوى الأوقاف بإجازة بناء كنائس جديدة Controversy over the fatwa of the Endowments authorizing the construction of new churches www alanba com kw in Arabic 28 July 2012 Sources editCatholic Church website 1 Window International Network Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine St Georgios Indian Orthodox Church 2 External links editOfficial Website of the Eastern Orthodox Archdiocese of Baghdad Kuwait and Dependencies Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Christianity in Kuwait amp oldid 1175684879, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
