Papal trip confirmed: This is what Pope Francis will do in Corsica on December 15

CNA Newsroom, November 23, 2024 / 9:00 am

The Holy See confirmed rumors on Saturday that Pope Francis will undertake a one-day apostolic trip to Corsica next month – the first-ever papal visit to the island best known as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that the pope had accepted an invitation from French civil and ecclesiastical authorities to visit Ajaccio, the island’s capital, on December 15, 2024.

The visit will be Pope Francis’ 47th apostolic trip abroad and his third visit to French territory, after trips to Strasbourg in 2014 and Marseille in 2023.

On both occasions the Pope spoke about migration. This visit continues Pope Francis’ engagement in the Mediterranean, following previous trips to Lampedusa, Lesbos and Malta, where he emphasized the Church’s call for solidarity with migrants and coastal communities.

Pope Francis will be welcomed in Corsica’s capital, Ajaccio, by Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo, who was appointed cardinal by Francis last year and heads a diocese where more than 80% of the island’s 340,000 residents identify as Catholic .

The journey from Rome to Ajaccio’s Napoleon Bonaparte Airport takes just over an hour – making this one of the Pope’s shortest international trips, covering around 300 kilometres. Although technically a visit to French territory, the Mediterranean island is closer to Italy than mainland France.

The pope’s schedule includes the closing session of a congress dedicated to Mediterranean popular religiosity in the morning, followed by an afternoon Mass on the historic Place d’Austerlitz – known locally as ‘U Casone’.

The Pope will pray the Angelus with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons and seminarians at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Ajaccio.

The mountainous island in the Mediterranean Sea is known for its distinctive religious traditions, including a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary. The island’s unofficial anthem, “Diu vi Salvi Regina,” was originally based on a rendition of Hail, Holy Queen.

Based on the Acts of the Apostles (10:38), the visit’s motto, “Jesus went about doing good,” reflects what Vatican sources describe as the fundamentally pastoral nature of the pope’s presence among the faithful.

The journey’s official logo prominently features Mary, venerated as Queen of Corsica, set against the Mediterranean blues and with traditional Christian symbolism – including a cross representing faith in Christ and a descending line suggesting the presence of the Holy Spirit.