The Pope's visit to Corsica should be made official this week. Last Sunday, it was mentioned for the first time by the Church. But for several days already, Ajaccio has been preparing for this historic event, widely commented on by the national media.
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The pope's visit to Corsica is not official, but the possibility of the sovereign pontiff's arrival is already fueling the national press.
Latest example with an article from the newspaper La Croix, dated November 10, reporting the words of the president of the conference of bishops of France, Éric de Moulins-Beaufort.
“The announcement has not yet been made. It depends on the Holy See for it to be completely official. If the pope decides to come on December 15 to Corsica, that is very good. If the pope decides to come on December 15 in Corsica is very good.”
Some bishops said they were surprised by the trip and questioned the timing. A controversy that the national press does not shy away from.
The newspaper Le Monde speaks of friction. For Le Figaro, this trip disconcerted the Church of France.
For its part, Libération headlines the Corsican imbroglio.
In question, the Pope's refusal to participate in the reopening of Notre-Dame, thus declining Emmanuel Macron's invitation to the event which will take place a week before his possible trip to Ajaccio.
The report by Frédéric Danesi and Christian Giugliano:
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©F. Danesi – C. Giugliano – J.-P. Valentini – A. Valli
In the imperial city, the Holy Father is expected to close a conference on popular religiosity organized by Cardinal Bustillo, with whom – this is not insignificant – the Pope maintains excellent relations.
“The official festivities in Paris for the reopening of Notre-Dame constitute everything that Pope Francis hates in terms of worldliness, explains an expert cited by the newspaper Libération. His trip to Corsica corresponds more to his spirituality. He is attached to the promotion of the peripheries, to the valorization of popular piety and the people.”
In this context, which can be compared to a mini diplomatic crisis, will Emmanuel Macron be present in Ajaccio to welcome the Pope as he did in Marseille last summer?
The question has not yet been resolved according to the Journal Le Monde.
“In the meantime, Mr. Macron suggests that his presence in Ajaccio is not guaranteed. We will advise, they say at the Elysée, while swearing that there is no question of presidential vexation.”
Will these controversies be likely to call into question the pope's coming to Ajaccio? Response in the coming days.
In the meantime, Corsica is preparing to welcome a pope to its soil for the first time in its history.
