Christianity is thought to have reached the Gulf as early as the 5th century, but for many years knowledge of its presence was mostly restricted to ancient texts.
That changed in 1992 when the remains of a church and monastery were discovered on Sir Bani Yas Island by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archeological Survey (Adia), headed by the late Peter Hellyer.
The site has proved to be a treasure trove of finds over the years. The discovery this week of a 1,400-year-old Christian cross on a stucco plaque is just the latest.
The cross was probably placed on a wall as an object of veneration for what we now know was a thriving community of up to 40 monks, who made Sir Bani Yas their home for perhaps well over a century.
What is the oldest evidence of Christianity in the Gulf?
Digs over the past 30 years have unearthed buildings including the foundations of a church, kitchen and dormitory in a series of courtyard buildings, along with a burial ground.
The monastery at Sir Bani Yas, though, is not the oldest evidence gathered so far about Christianity in the Gulf. Old stories of a Christian community at Samahij on Bahrain’s north coast were confirmed last year with the discovery of what may have been a bishop’s palace.
Dating from the 4th century – and therefore preceding the Sir Bani Yas Monastery by at least a century – the team from the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and the University of Exeter have so far found the remains of several buildings, including a dining area and three living rooms.
These early Christians were followers of what is known as the Nestorian branch of the church, which split from the main Eastern church in the 5th century in a dispute over the true nature of Christ that opponents saw as heresy.
Despite these controversies, the Nestorian church continued to thrive in the east, reaching modern-day Iraq, as far as Sri Lanka, and even China, where Nestorian stone crosses have been found in a district of Beijing and Inner Mongolia.
The palace in Bahrain seems to have been occupied by the Bishop of Meshmahig, the old name for Samahil. The bishops had a difficult relationship with the main body of the church with one excommunicated in 410 BCE, around the time of the founding of the Bahrain community.
Nestorian missionaries continued to spread through the Gulf and across the Arabian Sea. In 2022 remains of another monastery were discovered on Al Sinniya, an island off the coast of Umm Al Quwain, along with chalices and a cistern possibly used for baptisms.
That discovery, and the one in Bahrain, brings the total number of Christian communities found in the Gulf to seven, with a stone cross unearthed in Qatar, and a church and bronze crosses near Jubail in eastern Saudi Arabia.
On the Iranian side of the Gulf, tombs with Nestorian crosses have been found on Kharg island, along with a church and monastery.
What about Islam?
These communities existed until the arrival of Islam and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed in the 7th century. Islam reached what is now the UAE when envoys arrived around the time of the Prophet’s death in 632.
As populations accepted Islam, the monasteries and churches fell into decline and were eventually abandoned, with no evidence of violence. A mosque was built over the bishop’s palace in Bahrain. It would be over a thousand years before the palace was revealed again.
Memories remained of Christian presence in the Gulf, however. Christians were sometimes referred to simply as Nestorians, and Muslims knew of the feast of Eid al Milad, or the Festival of the Birth, when referring to Christmas.
Rulers of Abu Dhabi, including UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, showed religious tolerance by supporting Christians arriving to work and live in setting up churches and places to worship.
It was in the same spirit that the monastery on Sir Bani Yas was uncovered, with Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, saying the new discovery of the cross “stirs within us a deep sense of pride and honour and reminds us that peaceful coexistence is not a modern construct but a principle woven into the very fabric of our region’s history”.
The monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island – in pictures
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Manchester United's summer dealings
In
Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) £40 million
Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
Wayne Rooney (Everton) Free transfer
Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
AT%20A%20GLANCE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Hurricanes 31-31 Lions
Wellington Hurricanes:
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett
British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Mountain Classification Tour de France after Stage 8 on Saturday:
- 1. Lilian Calmejane (France / Direct Energie) 11
- 2. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana) 10
- 3. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Quick-Step) 8
- 4. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / LottoNL) 8
- 5. Warren Barguil (France / Sunweb) 7
- 6. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 6
- 7. Guillaume Martin (France / Wanty) 6
- 8. Jan Bakelants (Belgium / AG2R) 5
- 9. Serge Pauwels (Belgium / Dimension Data) 5
- 10. Richie Porte (Australia / BMC Racing) 4
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
