The Franciscan Custody in Morocco celebrates the Eighth Centenary of the arrival in Morocco

The Franciscan Custody in Morocco is celebratingthe year 2019 as a Jubilee year marking the eighth centenary of the arrival of the Franciscans in Morocco. [gallery link="file" type="columns" ids="21455,21457,21459,21460"] The inauguration of the centenary was attended by many Christians, Jews and Muslims, and took place in three stages:

• Wednesday, 16^thJanuary, the Solemnity of the Holy Martyrs of Morocco, with a celebration of the Eucharist in our Church of the Holy Martyrs of Marrakech.
• Sunday, 20^thJanuary, with a celebration of the Eucharist in the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Tangier.
• Saturday, 26^th January, in our Church of St. Francis in Rabat, with an opening ceremony, attended by Mons. Vito Rallo, Apostolic Nuncio in Morocco, Mons. Cristóbal López Romero, SDB, Archbishop of Rabat, and Br. Julio Bunader, Vicar General of the Order. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a festive event around a large paella prepared for 200 people. On Sunday 26^ththe Vicar General of the Order presided over a solemn thanksgiving Eucharist with the participation of many of the friars of the Custody.

  The celebration of the Eighth Centenary coincides with the eighth centenary of the meeting of St. Francis with the Sultan, a paradigm of encounter and dialogue. [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="21467,21466,21469,21470,21471,21472,21473,21474,21475,21478,21477,21476,21479,21480"] The Franciscan Custody in Morocco is an international fraternity which has 20 friars from different Entities of the Order. They live in six Fraternities of the Custody and place themselves at the service of the local Church and the people of Morocco in an attitude of service and fraternal dialogue