Plans in the kingdom of Bahrain to build the nation's largest Roman Catholic Church have been challenged by complaints from Sunni Muslim clerics who have signed a petition against any motions to build churches in the Arabian Peninsula, which is regarded as the birthplace of Islam.
Bahrain, which is a constitutional monarchy ruled by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, is heavily Muslim, with 99 percent of Bahranian people identifying as either Shi'a or Sunni. Although the nation also has a significant Christian population, among which are Catholics and Protestant, no official figures exist on their precise count.
Religious freedom, while protected by the government, has been the subject of much contention. Sunni and Shi'a communities are engaged in sectarian battles, The Associated Press reported, and more than 70 Sunni clerks have warned against plans to expand the Roman Catholic Church in the Asian nation. Read more
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