The King of Bahrain has given permission for the transfer of the headquarters of the Catholic Church in the Gulf region from Kuwait to Bahrain. He has already granted land for the building of a new church, and this is where the headquarters the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia will be located.
The relocation follows an increase in hostility towards non-Muslims in Kuwait.
Bahrain's Government said in a brief statement: "After thoughtful consideration and the completion of a new Roman Catholic church in the kingdom, Bahrain will host [the] vicariate as a testament to the kingdom's religious and cultural openness."
The king, a Sunni, has faced a backlash from Shia and Sunni clerics over the move.