During the first day of the pope's visit to Morocco, the Moroccan king and Pope Francis signed an unexpected but important statement on the special status of Jerusalem.
Both leaders urge respect for “its spiritual significance and its special vocation as a city of peace.”
They ask that the holy city of Jerusalem preserved the “common patrimony of humanity and especially the followers of the three monotheistic religions.”
The two assert the city is “as a place of encounter and as a symbol of peaceful coexistence, where mutual respect and dialogue can be cultivated.” Thus, they say it is essential to protect and promote “the spiritual dimension and the particular cultural identity of Jerusalem.”
Finally, the document included the desire for “full freedom of access to the followers of the three monotheistic religions and their right to worship will be guaranteed,” so Jerusalem is home to “a future of peace and fraternity on the earth.”
