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The presence of Christianity in the Arabian Gulf in what is now the United Arab Emirates goes back as far as the Seventh century A.D. In 1992, the ruins of a monastic community were discovered on Sir Bani Yas Island in the Al Gharbia region of the UAE. These ruins, which were probably Nestorian, have been dated between the sixth and seventh century. There is also clear evidence that even a century after the advent of Islam, the community continued and later moved on, most likely due to lack of members.
This indicates the history of tolerance practiced in this region.
Today around one million Catholic expatriate workers worship in an atmosphere of tolerance within the United Arab Emirates. Although there are some forty other Christian traditions here the Catholic community is by far the largest.
The first Vicariate in Arabia was established in 1888 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Aden by Pope Leo XIII to tend to the care of the Catholics in the region.
A year later the name of the Vicariate was changed to the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia and covered the whole Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Since 1916, the Vicariate was entrusted to the Capuchins of the Tuscan Province in Florence, Italy.
Because of the political unrest in Aden, the seat of the Bishop was moved to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 1974.
On 31st May 2011, the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia was divided into two: the Vicariates of Northern Arabia and Southern Arabia.
At the same time, with the Ius Commissionis, the responsibility to find mission personnel for Northern and Southern Vicariates was given to the General Superior of the Capuchin Franciscan Order.