Christianity in Morocco
Christians in Morocco constitute less than 1%[1][2] of the country's population of 33,600,000 (2014 census). Most of the Christian adherents are Catholic and Protestants.
Christianity in Morocco appeared during the Roman times, when it was practiced by Christian Berbers in Roman Mauretania Tingitana, although it started to decline after the Islamic conquests in the 7th century.[3] Indigenous Christianity in North Africa effectively continued after the Muslim conquest until the early 15th century.[4][5]
During the French and Spanish protectorates, Morocco had significant populations of European Catholic settlers; on the eve of independence, an estimated 470,000 Catholics resided in Morocco.[6] Since independence in 1956, the European Christian population has decreased substantially, and many Christians left to France or Spain. Prior to independence, the European Catholic settlers had historic legacy and powerful presence.[6] Independence prompted a mass exodus of the European Christian settlers; after series of events over 1959-1960 more than 75% of Christian settlers left the country.[6]
In 2022, the U.S. State Department estimated the current number of Moroccan Christians as more than 40,000.[7] Pew-Templeton estimates the number of Moroccan Christians at 20,000.[8] The number of the Moroccans who converted to Christianity (most of them secret worshippers) are estimated between 8,000[9]–50,000.[10][11] Since 1960 a growing number of Moroccan Muslims are converting to Christianity.[12][13][14][15][16]
Criminal prohibitions[edit]
Article 3 of the Moroccan constitution "guarantees to all the free exercise of beliefs". However, the Moroccan criminal code prohibits conversions to other religions than Islam. Conversions of Muslims to Christianity (either proselytization or apostasy) often occurred during the colonial period, when laws against such conversions did not exist.
According to Article 220 of the Moroccan Penal Code, "anyone who employs incitements to shake the faith of a Muslim or to convert him to another religion" incurs a sentence of three to six months' imprisonment and a fine of 200 to 500 dirhams. Any attempt to induce a Muslim to convert is illegal. Foreign missionaries either limit their proselytizing to non-Muslims or attempt to conduct their work discreetly. In spite of these limitations, a 2015 study estimates some 3,000 believers in Christ from a Muslim background.[17]
In 2023, Morocco was ranked as one of the 30 countries in the world where it is most dangerous to be a Christian.[18]