The pontiff urged Morocco's Catholic community to avoid attempting to convert Muslims and to have good ties with people of all faiths. Pope Francis is backing Morocco's efforts to promote a moderate version of Islam.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/C. Fusco
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In a joint declaration on Sunday, Pope Francis and Morocco's King Mohammed VI described Jerusalem as a "symbol of peaceful coexistence" for Christians, Jews and Muslims.
Jerusalem was "common patrimony of humanity and especially the followers of three monotheistic religions," the statement read.
"The specific multi-religious character, the spiritual dimension and the particular cultural identity of Jerusalem … must be protected and promoted," the statement added.
The spiritual leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics was in Morocco to promote interreligious dialogue. It was the first visit to Morocco by a pope in 34 years.
King Mohammed VI is head of a committee created by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to protect and promote Jerusalem's religious, cultural and architectural heritage.
Last year, US President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as capital of Israel, causing anger across the Muslim world, especially from Palestinians that see the city as the capital of their future state.
Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has tried to reform the Catholic Church by preaching and exemplifying humility. Some have applauded him for his efforts, while others have hurled criticism.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Agentur Andina/J. C. Guzmán
'Buona sera!'
On March 13, 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio greeted the crowd in St. Peter's Square in the heart of Rome with a simple "good evening!" moments after the Conclave had selected him as the new pope. He thus began his term with a down-to-earth tone that has marked his stewardship of the Catholic Church ever since.
Image: Reuters
Reform committee 'K9'
The new pontiff immediately tackled topics that the Catholic Church had been discussing before his election. He set up a nine-person cardinal conference to reform the church's organization and direction. The guiding principle: the Roman Catholic Church is not an end in itself. Instead, it should seek to spread the teachings of the Bible and bring the Vatican and its followers closer together.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano
Supporting the weak
The deaths of migrants crossing from Africa to Europe are "a thorn in the heart," said Pope Francis on his first bridge building trip to Lampedusa. At the time of his visit in the summer of 2013, thousands of migrants were on the Italian island hoping to receive legal permits to continue their journey onto the European mainland.
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Symbol of humility
It aligned perfectly with his own message of the "poor church:" the picture of Pope Francis with the 30-year-old Renault 4 that he had received as a gift from a pastor in Verona. Francis reportedly wanted to drive the car, but was not allowed to due to security concerns. The symbol of modesty has endured.
Image: Reuters
Francis the celebrity
Francis' worldly style quickly made him an icon for progressive Catholics and other Christians. Even non-Christians applauded the pope and rubbed their eyes in amazement at the contrast between Francis and his conservative and academic predecessor, Pope Benedict. After 10 months in office, Francis became the first pope to make the cover of "Rolling Stone" magazine.
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Controversial bridge builder
Francis takes his task as bridge builder very seriously. He has acted as a mediator between warring parties in civil conflicts in central Africa and Colombia and also helped bring an end to frozen relations between the US and Cuba. With an eye toward the Mexican-US border, he has also urged US President Donald Trump to build bridges rather than walls.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Agentur Andina/J. C. Guzmán
Believers and religions from all corners of the earth
Francis has also tried to build bridges between confessions and religions. He prayed at the wailing wall in Jerusalem and met the Grand Mufti Mohammad Hussein. In Egypt, he visited the head of the Coptic Church, Tawadros II, and Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb. In Myanmar, he spoke to Buddhist monks and in Havanna, he met with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kyrill I (pictured).
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People person
Francis spontaneously wed a couple on an airplane during a trip to Chile in January 2018. The two crew members were traveling with the pope on a flight from the capital Santiago to the northern city of Iquique. They had apparently told Francis of their plans to marry.
Image: Reuters/Osservatore Romano
Criticism from within the church
Francis' reform course has been too radical for some clerics. This poster in Rome accused Francis of showing no mercy within the church. He reportedly also has little time for dissent within the Vatican. Some church members think his course is too secular, his humility too bold, its display too media-orientated. The essence of religiosity – spirituality – some fear, could get lost in it all.
Image: picture-alliance/Zuma Press
Sexual abuse scandal in the Church
But the major challenge now faced by Francis is the problem of sexual abuse, including of minors, by church representatives. In January, the pontiff was heavily criticized for supporting Chilean Bishop Juan Barros (pictured right), accused of an abuse cover-up. On a recent trip to Ireland, the pope begged for forgiveness amid an abuse scandal there. But critics say much more is needed.
Image: Getty Images/C. Reyes
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Interfaith dialogue
On the second day of his trip, the pope urged the tiny Catholic community in Morocco to engage in a dialogue with Muslims in order to stamp out extremism.
"In this way, you will unmask and lay bare every attempt to exploit differences and ignorance in order to sow fear, hatred and conflict," he said on Sunday. "For we know that fear and hatred, nurtured and manipulated, destabilize our communities and leave them spiritually defenseless," he added.
Francis told a cheering crowd in Rabat that the church "grows not through proselytism but by attraction."
Morocco, a Sunni-Muslim kingdom of 36 million people, overhauled its religious policies following terrorist bombings in Casablanca in 2003 that killed 43 people.
One of the highlights of the pontiff's Morocco tour was his Saturday visit to the Mohammed VI Institute, a school of learning for imams that are exponents of a softer version of Islam.
In February, Francis visited the United Arab Emirates, where he and the imam of Cairo's Al Azhar university signed a landmark joint statement emphasizing the brotherly relation between Catholics and Muslims.
