Pope Leo XIV appoints Mario León Dorado as Coadjutor Archbishop of Rabat

Pope Leo XIV appointed Mario León Dorado as coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of Rabat in Morocco on September 12. Dorado, a Spanish member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, previously served as the apostolic prefect for the Western Sahara.

As coadjutor archbishop, Dorado holds the right of succession to the see. He has been serving as the apostolic administrator of the Rabat archdiocese since August. This interim leadership began after the local ordinary, Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, temporarily withdrew from all public and pastoral activities. The Church opened a preliminary investigation into López Romero following allegations of inappropriate behavior toward adult women.

In a message to the community, Dorado said he accepted the appointment with joy and humility. He asked the Catholic community in Rabat to support him with prayers as he takes on the new responsibility.