Pope Francis to Visit Morocco, Emphasizing Peace and Environmental Stewardship

Pope Francis the First began his message to "the people of the Kingdom of Morocco" with a very notable "Assalam Alaykoum" and with thanks to God, King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan authorities. The Pope then states that he will come to Morocco as a "pilgrim of peace and brotherhood" in a world that needs it.

The Pope makes a few green references to ecology a little later, linking them to a divine will, when he says: "He (God) has entrusted the earth, our common home, to them (men) to help each other preserve it responsibly and safeguard it for future generations."

A little before concluding, the Pope identifies the most important objectives of his visit, namely the Christian community in Morocco (but which one? Foreigners or native Moroccans or both?) as well as migrants.

Here is the full translation of Pope Francis I’s message:

"Dear people of the Kingdom of Morocco

Assalamou Alaykoum

I will soon be making a two-day visit to your dear country. I give thanks to God for this opportunity that He has given me. I am grateful to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for His kind invitation and to the Moroccan authorities for their generous cooperation.

In the footsteps of my predecessor Pope John Paul II, I will come as a pilgrim of peace and brotherhood in a world that greatly needs these values.

As Christians and Muslims, we all believe in God, the Creator and the Merciful, who created men and placed them in the world to live together as brothers who respect each other in diversity and help each other in need. He has entrusted the earth, our common home, to them to help each other preserve it responsibly and safeguard it for future generations.

It is a source of joy for me to share these convictions directly with you during the meeting we will organize in the city of Rabat.

This visit will also give me the precious opportunity to meet the Christian community that is present on Moroccan soil and to encourage it. I will also meet the migrants who embody the call to build a more just and solidary world.

My dear Moroccan friends, I thank you warmly in advance for your hospitality and above all for your prayers, reiterating my prayers for you and your dear country and see you soon."