Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rabat

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rabat (Latin: Archidioecesis Rabatensis) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Morocco. It was erected as the Apostolic Vicariate of Rabat on July 2, 1923, by Pope Pius XI, and promoted to the rank of an archdiocese by Pope Pius XII on September 14, 1955.

Archdiocese of Rabat Archidioecesis Rabatensis Archidiocèse de Rabat
Location
Country	Morocco
Territory	Rabat, northern Morocco
Statistics
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2014) 28,860,000 21,000 (.1%)
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	14 September 1955
Cathedral	St. Peter's Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Archbishop	Cristóbal López Romero S.D.B.
Vicar General	Daniel Nourissat
Bishops emeritus	Vincent Landel, S.C.I.
Map
Website
www.dioceserabat.org

The archdiocese's mother church and seat of its archbishop is St. Peter's Cathedral, Rabat. Cristóbal López Romero, S.D.B. was appointed as the Archbishop of Rabat on December 29, 2017.

Role in society

In the 1950s, the bishop and most clergy were in favour of the country's independence, contrary to the vast majority of French colonialists. The bishops were also crucial in the foundation of monastic communities in Morocco. The monastery of Toumliline was founded by 20 Benedictine monks of the abbey of En-Calcat upon invitation of the bishop Louis Lefèbvre.^[1]

St. Peter's Cathedral, Rabat

In January 26, 1988, upon invitation of bishop Hubert Michon, two Trappist monks established a community of monks in Fez which later would move to Midelt and became the Priory of Our Lady of the Atlas.^[2] In 2015, the diocese became owner of the monastery of Tazert after the previous congregation of Poor Clares left. A new community of Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi took over the monastery in 2019 under the auspices of archbishop Cristóbal López Romero.^[3]

Bishops

Ordinaries

Vicars Apostolic of Rabat

1. Victor Colomban Dreyer, O.F.M Cap. (1923–1927), appointed Vicar Apostolic of Canale di Suez {Suez Canal}, Egypt
2. Henri Vielle, O.F.M. (1927–1946)
3. Louis Lefèbvre, O.F.M. (1947–1955 see below)

Archbishops of Rabat

1. Louis Lefèbvre, O.F.M. (see above 1955–1968)
2. Jean Chabbert, O.F.M. (1968–1982), appointed Archbishop (personal title) of Perpignan-Elne, France
3. Hubert Michon (1983–2001)
4. Vincent Landel, S.C.J. (2001–2017)
5. Cristóbal López Romero, S.D.B. (2017– present ) (Cardinal in 2019)

Coadjutor Archbishops

• Jean-Berchmans-Marcel-Yves-Marie-Bernard Chabbert, O.F.M. (1967-1968)
• Vincent Louis Marie Landel, S.C.I. di Béth. (1999-2001)

Auxiliary Bishop

• Pierre-Jean-Marie-Louis Peurois, O.F.M. (1936-1946), resigned; (1957?-1959)

See also

• Roman Catholicism in Morocco
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tanger