Cardinal Crist³bal L³pez Romero Among Top Contenders to Succeed Pope Francis
Vatican City: Among the leading candidates considered to succeed Pope Francis is the Spanish-born Archbishop of Rabat, Cardinal Crist³bal L³pez Romero. Known for his dedication to “the last” in society, L³pez Romero has consistently supported migrants and advocated for religious dialogue.
According to Ansa News Agency, L³pez Romero, a member of the Salesian Society of Saint John Bosco, serves as the archbishop of Rabat, Morocco, where he leads a Catholic minority within a predominantly Sunni Muslim community. Born in V©lez-Rubio, Almeria, in 1952, he joined the Salesian Society at the age of 16, making his solemn profession in 1974.
L³pez Romero completed his secondary education at the Salesian seminary in Girona and pursued philosophical and theological studies at the Salesian seminary in Barcelona. In 1982, he graduated in Information Sciences, specializing in journalism, from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Ordained a priest in 1979, he initially served marginalized communities in Barcelona’s La Verneda neighborhood.
In 1984, he moved to Paraguay to engage in youth ministry at the Salesian College of Asunci³n and later held the position of provincial delegate for youth vocational ministry. By 2003, he had relocated to Morocco to direct the community and manage parish and school ministry at the Professional Training Center of K©nitra. He later returned to Latin America as the superior of the Salesian province of Bolivia.
Appointed Archbishop of Rabat by Pope Francis in 2017, L³pez Romero adopted the motto ‘Adveniat regnum Tuum’ for his ministry. He revitalized the ecumenical institute of theology ‘Al Mowafaqa,’ fostering understanding between his predecessor and the local Evangelical Church’s Lutheran pastor president.
In March 2019, L³pez Romero played a key role in welcoming Pope Francis to Morocco, commemorating the historic meeting between Saint Francis of Assisi and Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil. Later that year, he was elevated to cardinal in the Consistory of October 5.