Pope Francis to visit Corsica on 15 December
Pope Francis will make an Apostolic Journey to the Mediterranean island
of Corsica, France, on 15 December to close an international conference
on popular religious traditions organized by the Diocese of Ajaccio
The director of the Holy See's Press Office, Matteo Bruni, announced
on Saturday that Pope Francis will travel to the French island of
Corsica on 15 December, marking his 47th Apostolic Journey abroad and the first-ever visit of a Pope to the French Mediterranean island.
The Pope has been invited there by local civil and Church authorities to close an international Colloquium on popular religiosity in the Mediterranean organized in Ajaccio, the island’s capital, by the local diocese
A crossroad of cultures
Corsica is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean after
Cyprus, though it has only one-fourth of its population, and is known
for being the homeland of Napoleon Bonaparte, one of history's most
prominent figures.
A mountainous territory off the western coast of Italy and the
southern coast of France, Corsica has been at the crossroads of various
Mediterranean cultures and powers over centuries, including the Papacy,
the Italian Republics of Pisa and Genoa, and, finally, France, which
annexed the island in 1769 after a fierce resistance from the Corsican
independentists.
The island, which has long been scarcely populated and mostly
characterized by a rural and pastoral economy, is known for its natural
beauty that has attracted tourism, now an important sector of its
economy.
Due to the Italian cultural influence and its community-based social
structure, Corsica has retained a distinctive cultural and linguistic
identity, with ongoing discussions about autonomy and cultural
preservation.
Contribution of Catholic faith to shaping Corsican identity
The Diocese of Ajaccio covers the entire territory of Corsica and is
presently suffragan to the Archdiocese of Marseille in France. The
Diocese is headed today by Spanish-born Cardinal François-Xavier
Bustillo, O.F.M.Conv., and in 2022 numbered 277,000 Catholics,
representing 81.5% of the population of 340,000.
Catholicism has held an important place in Corsican society and has
contributed to shaping its distinctive cultural identity. This is
evidenced by the many churches scattered throughout its numerous inland
villages and its deep-rooted popular devotions, as well as its
long-standing tradition of confraternities.
Corsican people are known for having a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Corsican national anthem, “Diu vi Salvi Regina,” (God Save You, O Queen) is dedicated to her.
Religious festivals, processions, and pilgrimages continue to
punctuate Corsican social life today, despite urbanization and the
socio-economic changes of recent decades
Colloquium on Popular Religiosity in the Mediterranean
These religious traditions will be the focus of the two-day Colloquium in Ajaccio, running from 14-15 December.
The venue will bring together representatives of local Catholic
communities from France, Italy, and Spain to share the richness of faith
of Corsican popular religiosity with similar traditions in other
regions of the Mediterranean, including Sicily and Sardinia, and discuss
its potential for evangelization in a context of growing
secularization.
Motto and logo of the visit
The motto of the Apostolic Journey is “Jésus passa en faisant le bien”
("He went about doing good", Acts 10:38), a passage from the Acts of
the Apostles, which recalls that the Pope visits the Church in Corsica
like the Shepherd who goes to His people.
The logo of the visit features, on the top left, a stylized map of
Corsica in vertical blue lines on a green-blue background representing
the sea. The highest line culminates in the shape of a cross, to
symbolize the faith in Christ, and is tied to a yellow line that
descends from above, alluding to the Holy Spirit.
In the lower part, in the same blue colour, is a silhouette of the
Madonna, Queen of Corsica. She is depicted from the hips up with her
face and hands turned upwards and, given the background, appears as if
she is immersed in the sea.
The title of the visit, in yellow on the right, reads “Papa Francescu in Corsica” (Pope Francis in Corsica) in the Corsican language, while the motto, also in yellow, is in French.
The Apostolic Journey to Corsica will be Pope Francis’ third visit in
French territory after the visits to the European Parliament and the
Council of Europe in Strasbourg in 2014 and to Marseille for the
Mediterranean Encounters in 2023.
