By; Jjunju Francis

Vatican has announced Pope Francis’ visit to Morocco, from March 30-31, 2019.

According to papal spokesman Greg Burke Pope Francis will visit the cities of Rabat and Casablanca, under the invitation of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and the Catholic bishops.

Pope Francis will be the second pope to visit the country, after St. Pope John Paul II went in 1985 as the first pope to visit a Muslim country at the invitation of the state.

Morocco, a country located on the north-west side of Africa, is a majority Muslim country. The 2014 demographic figures put the country’s population, around 29 million that comprised of an estimated 21,000 number of Catholics which is just .1 percent of the population.

The country has two archdioceses; one in Ribat, the country’s capital city, and one based in Tanger.

His trip dispels the rumours after his invitation by King Mohammed earlier this year, that would give them a chance for the Pope to attend a United Nations gathering in December for the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration.

The visit to Morocco falls just two months after the pope will travel to Panama Jan. 23-27, 2019, the only other Vatican confirmed apostolic visit in the upcoming year, though there have been comments from heads of state and bishops that say Francis may also be traveling to Romania and to Mozambique.

He has also expressed the desire to visit Japan and Madagascar in 2019.


Wednesday 14th November 2018 02:56:48 PM