St. Andrew’s Church located in the Gulf Emirate of Abu Dhabi is an Anglican place of worship where the local adherents and expatriates adhering to this branch of Christianity meet in prayer and fellowship. This relatively modern yet tranquil and attractive church welcomes all those who visit the location, irrespective of religion or nationality.
The land on which this appealing place of worship initially stood was magnanimously provided by the ruling family of the Emirate. The location for church activities changed over time, and moved to the present venue in 1984. The consecration of the church was conducted on St. Andrew’s Day by the local bishop, Harry Moore. As an Anglican Foundation the church shares its facilities with the other religious groups and churches which fall under this denomination. However the church’s finances are completely independent of the denomination’s leadership in the United Kingdom.
St. Andrew’s and its diocese fall under the Middle East Province of the Anglican Church, which also includes the dioceses of Jerusalem, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iran and Syria. All of these churches fall under the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the United Kingdom.
In recent years Abu Dhabi has made a name for itself as a cosmopolitan commercial centre, following in the footsteps of its neighbouring Emirate, Dubai. Today many expatriates reside and make their living in Abu Dhabi, and are joined by numerous visitors who arrive at the state lured by its shopping opportunities and cosmopolitan ambience.
However, the Emirate also possesses a number of appealing cultural monuments which will attract the sightseer. One of these is the imposing Sheikh Zayed Mosque which is ranked amongst the largest and most impressive on the globe. The attractive Corniche is the city’s splendid waterfront which stretches over an extent of several miles. Visitors who desire to spend some leisure hours will enjoy visiting Khalifa Park which features a museum, aquarium, landscaped gardens and children’s play areas. Many extravagant developments have been undertaken in Abu Dhabi which will make the state one of the most resplendent on the globe.
Travellers to the region considering villas in Abu Dhabi will be pleased by Anantara Al Yamm. This spa resort Abu Dhabi offers attractive accommodations and welcoming hospitality.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.