Pope Francis met on Sunday with priests, consecrated men and women and the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Rabat's Cathedral of Saint Peter. At the beginning of the meeting, Pope Francis warmly greeted Father Jean-Pierre Schumacher, the last surviving monk of Tibhirine, who is currently living in the Convent of Our Lady of the Atlas in Midelt. Speaking at the cathedral, Pope Francis welcomed the fact that Christians are free to practice their religion in Morocco which fosters the strengthening of dialogue, cooperation and friendship between Muslims and Christians. Pope Francis reiterated his call for interfaith dialogue, a message he delivered a day earlier, speaking with King Mohammed VI. Omar, a young Protestant from Niger studying in Rabat, saw the pope’s visit as helping Morocco’s Christian minority.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 31, 2019 19:03 UTC