Rabat’s Historic Catholic Cathedral Marks 100 Years in Morocco

Built during the French protectorate (1912-1956), the Catholic temple was inaugurated in 1921 by the Resident General, Louis Hubert Lyautey, an important figure in contemporary Moroccan history. It became a cathedral in 1933, with the appointment by the Holy See of an Apostolic Vicar. The cathedral officially entered the heritage of the Church in 2018, after two years of legal proceedings. The temple had been bequeathed to the Catholic Church by Jean Chaubert, then Archbishop of Rabat.

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Today, the Saint-Pierre Cathedral in Rabat is frequented by young students or workers from the capital, but also by French and Spanish-speaking faithful, mostly tourists. "Our church is small, but it is important. Because we have a message to convey to this country and to the whole world. Some tell me: ’We cannot evangelize in Morocco’. And I answer: If that were not possible, we would not be here," Cardinal López Romero recently declared to EFE.

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"In Morocco, the parishioners, often sub-Saharan, consider the cathedral as a meeting place where the ties are family and religious, creating a very pleasant atmosphere. There is a very clear tolerance and peaceful coexistence between religions," explains Claude, in charge of welcoming the cathedral.

In Morocco, 99% of the population is Muslim. In addition to the 30,000 Christians, the kingdom has a small Jewish community of 2,000 people. On Saturday, November 20, Cardinal López Romero celebrated a mass on the occasion of the centenary celebration of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral, a symbol of the Church of North Africa and the best of religious pluralism in Morocco.