Pope Francis joined Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Saturday in declaring Jerusalem the "common patrimony" of Christians, Jews and Muslims, on the first day of a visit to the North African country. The leader of the Catholics was invited by King Mohammed VI for the sake of "interreligious dialogue", according to Moroccan authorities.
In a joint statement, the two leaders said Jerusalem was "common patrimony of humanity and especially the followers of the three monotheistic religions," during the pontiff's visit to Rabat. "The specific multi-religious character, the spiritual dimension and the particular cultural identity of Jerusalem... must be protected and promoted," they said in the declaration released by the Vatican.
Their statement came after US President Donald Trump's landmark recognition of the disputed city as capital of Israel, sparking anger across the Muslim world, especially from Palestinians who see Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
Addressing thousands of Moroccans who had braved the rain to attend the welcome ceremony, Francis said it was "essential to oppose fanaticism". He stressed the need for "appropriate preparation of future religious guides", ahead of meeting trainee imams later on Saturday.