One for the Catholics

Attending our first mass in Dubai was truly overwhelming. We arrived at St Mary's church 15 minutes before mass started and it was already packed with people saying the rosary. The pews were full and people were also standing at the back and the sides of the church.

St Francis of Assisi

As rosary finished, a few got up to leave their seats and so we rushed and pushed our way 'Dubai style' and managed to cram ourselves into a pew! Just when we thought the church was well and truly full, a few more people squeezed themselves into our pew and so we sat for the rest of the mass wedged between parishoners watching absolutely gob-smacked as the church continued to fill up with people standing in the aisles.

St Francis of Assisi

The church is by no means small in size, it would be comparable to St. Ben's (where we got married). Not ever having attended mass celebrated by the Pope, it is difficult to describe what it felt like being in a church so full of people. I have to admit it was a little scary being there for the first time, in a church situated directly next to a mosque, packed to the brim in the Middle East!

St Francis of Assisi

Upon discovering that there are actually 2 churches in Dubai, we found that St. Francis of Assisi Church is much closer to where we live. It is a little newer than St. Mary's but other than that, the building itself is very similar.

Mass itself appears to be shorter here than in NZ. I'd say approx. 45 minutes on average and it's great because all the readings etc are typed out onto a handout so you kinda tend to pay more attention and follow the mass better (especially since the priests and readers here can be a little hard to understand at times with thick accents!).

After mass, there's a canteen where we can buy snacks and drinks. Nothing like 'nasi lemak' and once again, Dubai style, the queue is non-existent so you just have to push your way to the front. Yet another thing we have to get used to!