Thousands of Christians in the UAE will take part in traditional Mass services on Christmas Eve.
Services will be held in languages from Arabic and Malayalam to English and French, across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. Churches will celebrate Christmas with traditional carols and midnight Masses.
Here's where you can go.
Abu Dhabi
St Joseph’s Cathedral
St Joseph’s Cathedral will be hosting one of Abu Dhabi’s biggest Masses, expected to be attended by thousands. There will be a number of services taking place throughout the evening, starting with a celebration in French.
Full schedule:
5pm: French Mass (St Joseph’s)
7.15pm: Penitential Rite With General Absolution
7.30pm: Christmas Mass (Outdoor)
9.15pm: Penitential Rite With General Absolution
9.30pm: Christmas Mass (Outdoor)
11pm: Carol Singing By All Faithful
11.45pm: Penitential Rite With General Absolution
12pm: Midnight Christmas High Mass – (Outdoor)
Christmas Day schedule:
4am: Malayalam (St. Joseph)
6.30am: English (St. Joseph)
7.45am: English (St. Therese)
9am: English (Outdoor)
10.15am: English (St. Therese)
10.30am: Arabic (Outdoor)
10.30am: Korean (Assisi Hall)
12pm: Noon Polish (St. Joseph)
12pm: English (Outdoor)
4pm: Urdu (St. Joseph)
4.30pm: English (Outdoor)
5pm: Italian (St. Joseph)
5.30pm: English (St. Therese)
5.45pm: English (Outdoor)
6pm: Spanish (Parish Hall)
6pm: Konkani (St. Joseph)
7pm: English (Outdoor)
7pm: Tamil (St. Therese)
7.15pm: Arabic (St. Joseph)
7.30pm: Sinhala (Assisi Hall)
8.15pm: English (St. Therese)
8.30pm: Malayalam (St. Joseph)
8.30pm: Tagalog (Outdoor)
Where: Al Mushrif - Abu Dhabi
St Andrew's Church
St Andrew’s Church in Al Mushrif will hold a traditional midnight Mass service on Christmas Eve. Mass will begin at 11.30pm, and the service will be held in English.
Where: 17 Street, Al Mushrif Area
St Nicholas Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church will hold a special three-and-a-half-hour Christmas Eve Mass, which is expected to be attended by about 600 worshippers.
Where: 17 Street, Al Mushrif Area
Evangelical Community Church
The Evangelical Community Church will host a Christmas Eve service from 7pm to 8.30pm, which is open to all.
Where: 18 Street, Al Mushrif Area
St Paul’s Church
St Paul’s Church is hosting a series of special Christmas Eve services in a number of languages. There will be traditional Mass services along with carol singing throughout the evening.
Full schedule:
5.30pm: Carol singing
6pm: English
7.30pm: Carol singing
8pm: English
8pm: Syro-Malankara (St. Francis of Assisi)
9.15pm: Carol singing
9.45pm: English
11.15pm: Carol Singing
12am: Christmas High Mass
Christmas Day schedule:
4am: Malayalam
7.30am: English
9am: English
10.30am: Tamil
5.30pm: English
6pm: Konkani (Assisi Hall)
7pm: Tagalog
8.30pm: Malayalam
Where: 16th Street, Musaffah Indusrial Area
Dubai
St Mary’s Catholic Church
St Mary’s Catholic Church will hold a series of Christmas Eve Masses in various languages, along with a special service for the elderly and the sick.
Full schedule:
3.30pm: Service for the elderly and sick
5pm: French
7pm: English
9pm: Arabic
11.15pm: Carol singing
12pm: Midnight Solemn High Mass (English)
Christmas Day schedule:
5.30am: English
7am: English
8.30am: English
10am: English
11.30am: Arabic
Where: Oud Metha Road
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
The St Franics Catholic Church in Jebel Ali will host a number of services throughout the afternoon and evening on Christmas Eve, in four languages.
Full schedule:
2pm: Korean Christmas Mass
4pm: Carol Singing
4.30pm: English Family Mass
6pm: Syro-Malankara Mass
8pm: Syro-Malabar Mass
10.30pm: Carol Singing
10.45pm: Examination of Conscience and General Absolution
11pm: Christmas Vigil Mass
Where: Jebel Ali, Dubai
Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Church’s Christmas Eve service will take place at 11pm.
Where: Oud Metha Road/19th Street
Sharjah
St Michael’s Church
Sharjah’s biggest church will be hosting Mass services throughout the evening in three languages.
Full schedule:
5.30pm: English
7pm: English
8.15pm: Malayalam
10pm: Arabic
10.15pm: English
11.30pm: Carol singing (English)
11.55pm: English Vigil
Where: Abdullah Bin Anees Street/21st Street
Al Ain
St Mary’s Catholic Church
An evening of Mass in English and Arabic is scheduled at St Mary’s Catholic Church, along with traditional carol singing.
Full schedule:
6pm: Mass (English)
8pm: Mass (Arabic)
11.30pm: Christmas Carols
12am: Vigil Mass
Where: 147th Street
Ras Al Khaimah
St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
St Anthony’s will be holding Christmas Eve Masses in five languages throughout the evening, starting with Arabic at 5pm. The main Mass service will be held in English and will begin at 10.30pm.
Full schedule:
5pm: Arabic
7pm: Malankara
7.30pm: Sinhalese
10.30pm: English (main service)
12am: Malayalam
Where: Ras Al Khaimah