Francis is the first pontiff to visit the North African country since John Paul II in 1985, and his arrival drew thousands to the streets on Saturday. The Argentine was welcomed to Morocco by King Mohammed VI who describes himself as "commander of the faithful". Although Islam is the state religion, Moroccan authorities are keen to stress the country's "religious tolerance" which allows Christians and Jews to worship freely. Francis's palace meeting with the king was followed by a visit to an institute which hosts around 1,300 trainee imams and preachers. Francis described Morocco as a "natural bridge between Africa and Europe" and said world problems could never be solved by “raising barriers” or "fomenting fear of others."

Source: The North Africa Journal March 31, 2019 10:18 UTC