King Mohammed VI has sent a congratulatory message to Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his election to the papacy.
In the King’s message, he stated: “It gives me great pleasure to extend my warmest congratulations on your election to the papacy, accompanied by my sincere wishes that your papacy will be a source of goodness and benefit to the Catholic peoples and for the common good.”
His Majesty added: “The Kingdom of Morocco and the Holy See are connected through a long history of diplomatic and spiritual customs, bonded by deep ties of mutual respect and friendly understanding, and by their active commitment to peace and coexistence.” He emphasized that “Morocco, as a land of brotherly coexistence among monotheistic religions, continues its efforts to promote the spirit of solidarity and harmony among peoples and civilizations.”
The King continued: “In this context, Pope John Paul II, at the invitation of my late father, King Hassan II, may he rest in peace, made a historic visit to Morocco in August 1985. I was also pleased, along with the Moroccan people, to welcome Pope Francis in Rabat in March 2019.”
The message further stated: “These meetings between the King of Morocco, as the Commander of the Faithful, and the leader of the Catholic Church represent a significant symbolic event, strongly affirming their shared desire to build bridges of brotherhood among humans and to establish dialogue among religions as a bulwark against all forms of extremism and isolation.”
His Majesty also expressed: “In this regard, I wish to reaffirm my personal and firm commitment to the continuity of these distinguished relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Holy See under your papacy, in the same spirit of brotherhood, friendship, and understanding, hoping that they will continue to be strengthened to support ongoing dialogue between Muslims and Christians based on universal human values and the shared teachings of the heavenly religions.”
