The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rabat () is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Morocco. It was erected as the Apostolic Vicariate of Rabat on 2 July 1923, by Pope Pius XI, and promoted to the rank of an archdiocese by Pope Pius XII on 14 September 1955.
The archdiocese's mother church and seat of its archbishop is St. Peter's Cathedral, Rabat. Cristóbal López Romero, S.D.B. was appointed archbishop of Rabat on 29 December 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.
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. 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.
Bishops Ordinaries Vicars Apostolic of Rabat Victor Colomban Dreyer, O.F.M Cap. (1923–1927), appointed Vicar Apostolic of Canale di Suez {Suez Canal}, Egypt Henri Vielle, O.F.M. (1927–1946) Louis Lefèbvre, O.F.M. (1947–1955)
Archbishops of Rabat Louis Lefèbvre, O.F.M. (1955–1968) Jean Chabbert, O.F.M. (1968–1982), appointed Archbishop (personal title) of Perpignan-Elne, France Hubert Michon (1983–2001) Vincent Landel, S.C.J. (2001–2017) Cristóbal López Romero, S.D.B. (2017–present)
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
References
External links Official website Catholic-Hierarchy GCatholic.org