Bishop Camillo’s death mourned

TDT | Manama

The King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Co-existence has mourned the death of Board of Trustees member Bishop Camillo Ballin, the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, who passed away at the age of 75. It described the death as a big loss to the Kingdom and the centre, recalling the qualities of Bishop Camillo and his contribution to boosting religious tolerance and coexistence.

It also pointed out Bishop Camillo’s continuous praise of Bahrain’s openness and good treatment of Catholics. The centre paid homage to Bishop Camillo, underlining his prominent contribution to boosting relations between the Vatican and the Arabian Gulf countries. It also noted his remarkable activities in the Gulf Churches Fellowship (GCF) and his supervision of the Catholic Church’s presence.

It pointed out his love for Bahrain, which made him move his permanent residence to the Kingdom in 2011. The centre pointed out that Bishop Camillo oversaw the construction of the biggest cathedral in the region on a land plot of 8,788sqm which was granted by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to the community. It extended condolences to the family of Bishop Camillo as well as followers of Christianity and the Catholic Church, praying to Allah Almighty to bless the deceased with mercy and provide his family with patience and consolation.