Archdiocese of Rabat, Morocco 🇲🇦

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Archdiocese

Name: Rabat / Rabaten(sis) (Latin)

Immediately subject to the Holy See

Neighbouring Dioceses: Western Sahara (↙), Islas Canarias (↙), Funchal (←), Tánger (↗), Oran (→)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Franciscan martyrs Saint Berardo, Saint Pietro, Saint Accursio, Saint Adiuto and Saint Ottone

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1923.07.02: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Rabat / Rabaten(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Marruecos)
1955.09.14: Promoted as Archdiocese of Rabat / Rabaten(sis) (Latin) (without ecclesiastical province)

Papal Visits

Present Prelates

Archbishop (2017.12.29 – ...):	Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, S.D.B. (74) Cardinal-Priest of S. Leone I
Apostolic Administrator sede plena (2026.08.01 – ...):	Fr. Mario León Dorado, O.M.I. (52) Prefect Apostolic of Western Sahara (Western Sahara)

Ordinaries

Archbishops of Rabat (Roman Rite)

Fr. Mario León Dorado, O.M.I. (52)
(Apostolic Administrator sede plena 2026.08.01 – ...)

Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, S.D.B. (74)
(2017.12.29 – ...)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Leone I
Archbishop of Rabat (Morocco)

Adveniat regnum tuum

Born:	1952.05.19 (Vélez-Rubio, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1979.05.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2018.03.10
Created Cardinal:	2019.10.05

Archbishop of Rabat (Morocco) (2017.12.29 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Tánger (Morocco) (2019.05.24 – 2022.02.25)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Leone I (2019.10.05 [2020.02.16] – ...)

President of Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (2022.02.15 – 2025.02)

Archbishop Vincent Louis Marie Landel, S.C.I. di Béth. (84)
(2001.05.05 – 2017.12.29)

Archbishop emeritus of Rabat (Morocco)

Born:	1941.08.25 (Meknès, Morocco)
Ordained Priest:	1969.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2000.02.26

Coadjutor Archbishop of Rabat (Morocco) (1999.12.03 – 2001.05.05)

Archbishop of Rabat (Morocco) (2001.05.05 – 2017.12.29)

Vice-President of Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (2004.01 – 2006.02)

President of Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (2006.02 – 2012.03.01)

President of Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (2012.11.21 – 2015.03.07)

Archbishop Hubert Louis Marie Félix Michon
(1983.05.02 – 2001.05.05)

Born:	1927.06.02 (Paris, France)
Ordained Priest:	1957.04.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1983.12.11
Died:	2004.05.14 (Le Chesnay, France † 76)

Priest of Rabat (Morocco) (1957.04.21 – 1983.05.02)

Archbishop of Rabat (Morocco) (1983.05.02 – 2001.05.05)

Archbishop Jean-Berchmans-Marcel-Yves-Marie-Bernard Chabbert, O.F.M.
(1968.01.15 – 1982.07.17)

Born:	1920.12.31 (Castres, France)
Ordained Priest:	1947.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.07.07
Died:	2016.09.20 (Béziers, France † 95)

Titular Archbishop of Quæstoriana (1967.04.13 – 1968.01.15)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Rabat (Morocco) (1967.04.13 – 1968.01.15)

Archbishop of Rabat (Morocco) (1968.01.15 – 1982.07.17)

Archbishop-Bishop of Perpignan–Elne (France) (1982.07.17 – 1996.01.16)

Archbishop Louis-François-Bienaimé-Amedée Lefèbvre, O.F.M.
(1955.09.14 – 1968.01.15)

Born:	1890.07.08 (Cherbourg, France)
Ordained Priest:	1913.07.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1947.06.01
Died:	1968.01.15 (Rabat, Morocco † 77)

Titular Bishop of Eguga (1947.04.10 – 1955.09.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Rabat (Morocco) (1947.04.10 – 1955.09.14)

Archbishop of Rabat (Morocco) (1955.09.14 – 1968.01.15)

Vicars Apostolic of Rabat (Roman Rite)

Bishop Louis-François-Bienaimé-Amedée Lefèbvre, O.F.M. (later Archbishop)
(1947.04.10 – 1955.09.14)

(see above)

Bishop Henri Vielle, O.F.M.
(1927.06.08 – 1946.05.07)

Born:	1867.06.15 (Léguevin, France)
Ordained Priest:	1891.05.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1927.07.25
Died:	1946.05.07 († 78)

Vicar Apostolic of Rabat (Morocco) (1927.06.08 – 1946.05.07)

Titular Bishop of Thebæ Phthiotides (1927.06.20 – 1946.05.07)

Bishop Victor Colombanus Dreyer, O.F.M. Cap. (later Archbishop)
(1923.06.27 – 1927.03.11)

Born:	1866.02.15 (Rosheim, France)
Ordained Priest:	1889.07.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1923.08.16
Died:	1944.05.07 (Vigny, France † 78)

Vicar Apostolic of Rabat (Morocco) (1923.06.27 – 1927.03.11)

Titular Bishop of Orthosia (1923.06.27 – 1928.11.26)

Vicar Apostolic of Canal of Suez (Egypt) (1927.03.11 – 1928.11.24)

Apostolic Delegate to Indochina (1928.11.24 – 1936.11.19)

Titular Archbishop of Adulis (1928.11.26 – 1944.05.07)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Vincent Louis Marie Landel, S.C.I. di Béth. (84) (1999.12.03 – 2001.05.05)
Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Jean-Berchmans-Marcel-Yves-Marie-Bernard Chabbert, O.F.M. (1967.04.13 – 1968.01.15)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Pierre-Jean-Marie-Louis Peurois, O.F.M. (1936.05.25 – 1946.05.07)

Special Churches

Cathedral, World Heritage Site (Minor): Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, Rabat
Former Cathedral (now secular): Ancienne cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur, Casablanca

Churches by City (18)

Western Sahara (↙), Islas Canarias (↙), Funchal (←), Tánger (↗), Oran (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 425,330 km²

Population: 22,310 Catholics (0.1% of 33,100,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 18 parishes

Personnel: 37 priests (18 diocesan, 19 religious), 112 religious (26 brothers, 86 sisters)