Cristóbal López Romero was born on 19 May 1952 in Vélez-Rubio, Spain, in the diocese of Almería. He entered the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1964, made his first vows on 16 August 1968 and his solemn vows on 2 August 1974, and studied philosophy and theology at the Salesian seminary in Barcelona, later taking a diploma in information sciences (journalism) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 1982. Ordained a priest on 19 May 1979, he first worked with the marginalised in Barcelona's La Verneda quarter, then from 1984 in Paraguay, where he was provincial of the Salesians from 1994 to 2000. From 2003 to 2011 he directed the Salesian community and its training centre in Kénitra, Morocco, before serving as provincial in Bolivia (2011–2014) and in Spain's María Auxiliadora province (2014–2017).
On 29 December 2017 Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Rabat, and he received episcopal ordination on 10 March 2018 in Saint Peter's Cathedral, Rabat. His motto is Adveniat regnum Tuum. He leads a small Catholic minority in a majority Sunni Muslim country, gave impetus to the Al Mowafaqa ecumenical institute of theology, and hosted Pope Francis in Morocco on 30–31 March 2019, during the eighth centenary of the meeting between Saint Francis of Assisi and Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil.
Pope Francis created him a cardinal in the consistory of 5 October 2019, with the title of San Leone I. He is a member of the Dicasteries for Interreligious Dialogue, for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and for Communication. He participated as a cardinal elector in the 2025 conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV. In 2026 he stepped aside from the governance of the archdiocese while a Holy See investigation into published allegations — which he denies — proceeds; an apostolic administrator governs Rabat in the interim.
Consequential Quotes
Unity isn't created by the Pope, it's created by all of us. He is there as a sign and center of unity, but it's up to each of us whether we join or not.
We are a Church that bridges Europe and Africa, between Muslims and Christians, between Spain and Morocco, between East and West, between rich and poor, between Black and white.
Ours is an unassuming Church — we are less than 0.1% of the population — but it seeks to be significant, and it desires to be a sign and sacrament of the Kingdom of God.
Our Church is a Church of encounter and dialogue. Yet, although we have made a good start, we can do much more.
Major Works & Initiatives
Apostolic Administrator of Tangier
Named apostolic administrator of the neighbouring Archdiocese of Tangier on 24 May 2019; ACI Africa reports he held the post until 25 February 2022.
Host of Pope Francis's apostolic visit to Morocco
Hosted Pope Francis in Rabat on 30-31 March 2019, during the eighth centenary of the meeting between Saint Francis of Assisi and Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil; the visit included the joint Appeal for Jerusalem signed with King Mohammed VI.
Member, Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue
Holy See bio lists him as a member of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, alongside the Dicasteries for Divine Worship, for Institutes of Consecrated Life, and for Communication; Wikipedia dates his appointment to the then Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to 21 February 2020.
Diocesan synod of Rabat on encounter and dialogue
Synod convened on 23 May 2021 to ask how the small Moroccan Church can concretely live its mission of encounter and dialogue, and become more 'Samaritan' toward those in need.
Controversies
Sexual-abuse allegations and Holy See investigation, 2026
In 2026, an Agence France-Presse investigation reported that at least five adult women had accused López Romero of sexual assault or inappropriate physical contact. He denied the claims, saying he had 'committed neither assault, nor violence, nor sexual harassment', and stepped aside from his duties to allow a preliminary investigation by the Holy See to proceed. The Tablet reported that no complaint had been filed with the Moroccan justice system, that the two women who repeated their claims to AFP had not yet been contacted by the Holy See, and that an apostolic administrator, Mgr Mario León Dorado OMI, was subsequently appointed to run the archdiocese, with the cardinal stating: 'This decision comes pending the results of the investigation conducted by the Holy See concerning me and the diocese.' The allegations are unproven and contested; the investigation was ongoing at the time of the reporting fetched for this profile (The Tablet, 2026).