Morocco Hosts Midnight Mass for Christians, Highlighting Religious Coexistence

Shortly before the mass, the celebrating priest saluted the role played by Morocco in the cohabitation of the three monotheistic religions, before expressing his joy at seeing so many Christians manifest their Christianity in the land of Islam. "Your country is significant," he declared. Father Daniel Nourissat also recalled in his homily the birth of Christ, "King of the Universe," preaching "love and peace."

The Christians barely hid their joy in communing, in the same faith and the same hope, in the mercy of a Savior God. This is the case of this Canadian tourist couple who declared, at the end of the mass, that they were "delighted to be able to celebrate the Christmas holiday in a country where tolerance, peace and stability reign." Other Eucharistic celebrations took place in Marrakech, Agadir, El Jadida, Tangier, Casablanca at the Church of Notre Dame de Lourdes, built in 1954 and classified as national cultural heritage, reports article19.ma.

Morocco has 30,000 Christians, including 20,000 Catholics and 10,000 Protestants. The history of Christianity in Morocco is ancient and remains marked by some internal battles between the territories under Spanish and French domination. Pope Pius XI will cut the pear in two by the creation of two Apostolic Vicariates: one with its headquarters in Rabat, for the French zone, and the other in Tangier, for the Spanish zone and the international zone of the city.

In 1923, the two churches had strict instructions to avoid proselytism. The neutrality of the Church will be undermined when the Bishop of Rabat, Archbishop Lefèvre, supported by Sultan Mohammed V, publishes a letter supporting Morocco’s independence efforts.

After the massive departure of Christians from Morocco between 1975 and 1990, many religious congregations and the majority of churches were closed. But fortunately, under the impetus of the Second Vatican Council, ecumenism has developed between the Anglican, Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical Churches. The Council of Christian Churches in Morocco was created, and in 2012, the Al Mowafaqa Institute was born.

Today, the Church owes its vitality to the thousands of sub-Saharan students who have come to pursue their studies in Morocco, reports the same source.