UAE: A 1400-year-old church and monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island is now open for visitors. This is the only early Christian site discovered so far in the UAE. Thanks to the conservation measures and site enhancements by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the site is now open to anybody who wants to have a peep into pages of history and learn how the community had lived in the era bygone.
It is said that the Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery dates to the 7th and 8th centuries (Common Era) and it flourished well after Islam spread throughout the region.
The site was first discovered in 1992 and the excavation of the site unveiled several aspects of the monastry including the quarters used by the monks, courtyard-typed residences, artifacts, utensils etc.
The inauguration ceremony for the site was conducted by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Tolerance. The event was attended by Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, and Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, as well as conservators, archaeologists, heritage experts and clerics.
“The Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery site received special attention from the founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, due to the great significance and value it holds as a historic part of the UAE’s cultural heritage,” Sheikh Nahyan is quoted in Khaleej Times, who added that the late Sheikh Zayed played a key role in supporting archaeological excavations, studies and research related to history and heritage.
“The Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery sheds light on our cultural history, one that we can be proud of; its existence is proof of the longstanding values of tolerance and acceptance in our lands. This further emphasises the importance of cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration, as the site provides evidence of the UAE’s openness to other cultures. It is perfect timing that the inauguration of this landmark comes during the Year of Tolerance, which was marked this year by the historic visit of His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church, to the UAE,” Khaleej Times quoted the minister.
