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tonyhabibi

posted on Nov 15, 2010 - 01:21 AM

r there ?

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Truth.Seeker

posted on Nov 15, 2010 - 06:03 PM

No.

Joined: Feb 25, 2008 | Posts: 967

mikokiko

posted on Nov 20, 2010 - 11:17 AM

They barely tolerate the temporary presence of Christians and other non-Muslims in the country, and are banned from entering the State of Hijaz (the one with Mecca), due to the command of the Prophet to rid the Arabian Peninsula of all Infidels. It's illegal for a Christian to pray, worship, or practice his religion in any way (Crosses, Bibles, or anything directly associated with Christianity is banned). You think they have places for Christians to visit?

GB

Joined: Feb 11, 2003 | Posts: 1350

tonyhabibi

posted on Nov 20, 2010 - 09:11 PM

SORRY IF I SEEMED IGNORANT TO YOU , BUT MAYBE U MISUNDERSTOOD MY QUESTION ..... EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NO GOVERMENT RECOGNIZATION OF CHRISTIANITY IN SAUDIA ARABIA .... I WAS WONDERING IF ANY OF THE PROPHETS OR EVEN THE HOLY FAMILY PASSED THROUGH THE LAND . WERE THERE ANY LIKE OLD TESTAMENT EVENTS THAT OCCURRED THERE .... I KNOW ABRAHAM WAS BORN IN THE CITY OF UR ... A CITY CLOSE TO THE KINGDOM OF SAUD.

Joined: Apr 10, 2004 | Posts: 1322
Location: IN THE back of your mind .navagating through your heart , resting in your soul .

mikokiko

posted on Nov 20, 2010 - 10:43 PM

Nothing historically there that I know of. It was home to many Christians in the past before Muhammad banished them.
GB

Joined: Feb 11, 2003 | Posts: 1350

Meghalo05

posted on Nov 27, 2010 - 06:13 PM

Hello all,

St. Paul after his conversion spent some time in Arabia. I believe it was a period of three years.

Galatians 1:17

17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Why did St. Paul go to Arabia? Many theologians say it was a period of reflection, study and prayer to prepare himself for his missionary journeys. Just as Christ, John the Baptist, Elijah etc. went into the wilderness before and during their ministries so did St. Paul.

Now as to whether there is any shrine or monument or church in the area where St. Paul lived in Arabia is highly unlikely due to the strict Islamic law of the state.

However, Arabia can mean anywhere in the peninsula and is not restricted to Saudia Arabia.

But it's interesting to note the presence of Christianity and how St. Paul through his conversion to Christianity possibly blessed Saudia Arabia. Again, the presence of Christ/Christianity was even in Saudia Arabia before the origin of Islam.

So Tony, I think this is a big link between Christianity and Saudia Arabia, and a potential holy site in which the 13th Disciple blessed for some time. Hope this helps.

Abe

Joined: Jan 18, 2005 | Posts: 365
Location: St. Mary and St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of Indianapolis, IN

minasoliman

posted on Nov 29, 2010 - 06:28 AM

Yes, there were Christians in the Arabian Peninsula. In fact, there was an Arabic Christian Kingdom, and was an anti-Chalcedonian Kingdom, supporter of the doctrines of the Coptic and Syriac Churches against Chalcedon. Fr. VC Samuel talks about them briefly and the tragedy of their extinction in his book "The Council of Chalcedon Re-Examined". Here's a youtube video also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksqCC8RgjZc

Joined: May 22, 2003 | Posts: 1789

Remnkemi

posted on Nov 30, 2010 - 01:00 AM

From what I found online, there is a Catholic bishop in the Arabian peninsula, Bishop Paul Hinder from Switzerland. They have 18 churches in 6 of the 7 countries of the peninsula. (Saudi Arabia has no Christian church.) They claim 2.7% of the peninsula's population is Christian, which is 2.1 million, mostly immigrants from Sri Lanka and Asia.

There is a Protestant church in Oman (where Islam was born). I couldn't find any reference to a "holy site". The only holy sites are Mecca and Madina. Some consider Israel part of the peninsula. So there are many holy sites in Israel. But I think this is not what your question inquired about.

As for history, the peninsula is divided into 3 parts. The north was under the Syrian Church. The middle was Bedouin and the South has a long history of pre-Islamic kingdoms. If your interested, take a look here .

I hope this helped.
George

Joined: Apr 07, 2003 | Posts: 797
Location: Boston, MA USA

mikokiko

posted on Nov 30, 2010 - 11:21 AM

As far as I'm aware, Islam was first preached as a religion by Muhammad in Mecca, not Oman. Unless you mean something else by Islam being born.

GB

Joined: Feb 11, 2003 | Posts: 1350