Rabat – Pope Francis may come to Morocco for the first time on an official visit in the next few months, the Italian honorary consul, Vincenzo Abbinante, announced to the Italian news outlet, Turiweb.
In a statement, Abbinante said that Morocco has begun preparations for the visit in collaboration with the Vatican. He added that King Mohammed VI extended the invitation to the Pope.
Moreover, the consul praised Morocco for establishing itself as “a center of excellence in intercultural and inter-religious dialogue.”
The consul made the announcement following his meeting with Archbishop Romeo Pavlovski, President of the Third Chamber at the Vatican Secretariat for Diplomatic Affairs.
Two months ago, Mohammed VI wrote a letter to Pope Francis, offering his congratulations to the Pope on the fifth anniversary of his papacy.
In the letter, the King expressed sincere wishes for the Pope’s good health, happiness, and prosperity. The sovereign also lauded the strong tie of friendship and mutual respect, which link Morocco and the Vatican City, adding his determination to continue working with the Pope on of the basis of mutual respect for different values (dialogue, coexistence, communication …).
This historic visit would be the first time the pope has visited Morocco in 33 years. Pope Jean Paul II was invited by the Late King Hassan II as an opportunity to build a bridge between Muslims and Christians.
