After his arrival at Ajaccio airport, Pope Francis received a very warm welcome from the Corsicans, who came in large numbers for this historic day. In the street or from the balconies, a huge crowd, waving banners and Vatican flags, celebrated the first visit of a Sovereign Pontiff to this French island in the Mediterranean.
For a week, rain had been beating down the streets of Ajaccio. But this Sunday, December 15, it was a warm sun reflecting on the waters of the Mediterranean that welcomed Pope Francis for his 47e apostolic journey since his election in 2013.
If the rays of the sun warmed the city, the smiles and joy of the Corsicans forming a gigantic guard of honor along the route of the Holy Father undoubtedly warmed his heart. Between sea and mountains, beach and asphalt, the capital of the island of Beau-té has been preparing for weeks to welcome “Papa Francescu”, with a u as the Corsican language dictates. The countless banners wishing him a welcome, the flags, the cries of welcome, the flowers… The atmosphere this morning in the streets of Ajaccio was unique, with the presence of around 120,000 people, or a third of the Corsican population. .
Upon his arrival at the airport dedicated to Napoleon, the Holy Father probably did not even have time to look at the surrounding landscape. In his new popemobile, Francis’ gaze immediately turned to the crowd, some of whom had risen at dawn to welcome him. Towards these tens of thousands of people who, from the balconies decorated with white and yellow flowers or flags with Moor’s heads, the symbol of Corsica. Some were even perched on tree branches and shouting “Vivu Papa! Long live Dad!”
From the crowd, or rather the numerous small crowds, crowded in the streets or in the shade of bakeries and brasseries with characteristic names (“A calata”, “A marinata”, to name just a few), What stands out above all are the red, purple, black and white robes of the brotherhoods, these numerous brotherhoods which characterize the Corsican Church and embody this “popular piety”, the leitmotif of the pontifical visit.
Some brought into the street, on sedan chairs, statues of Our Lady and Saint Joseph, icons of Our Lady and small nativity scenes. They accompanied the passage of the papal car with songs and prayers, from the airport to the Palais des Congrès. Francis walked 200 meters in about half an hour, stopping at every step to greet the children, bless the newborns and shake the hands of a few elderly women.
The first stop of the Pope’s procession was in front of the Saint-Jean baptistery. Welcomed by a children’s choir and members of brotherhoods, Francis blessed this witness to the first evangelization on the island. Dating from the vie century, this building only resurfaced in 2005 during excavation work to build a public car park. A child read the Credothen the Pope greeted the faithful present.
After the closing of the Conference on popular religiosity in the Mediterranean, where members of brotherhoods welcomed him with traditional songs, Pope Francis left in the direction of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Cathedral.
The papal car stopped in front of the statue of the Virgin of Mercy. Patroness of Corsica, whom the Catholics of the island – around 90% of the inhabitants – venerate under the name “Madonuccia”, a nickname which is not only a linguistic particularity, but also a mark of affection of the population . Every March 18, she is venerated during a procession in memory of a miraculous episode attributed to her in 1656. While a plague epidemic seriously affected Italy, including the city of Genoa including Corsica then depended, the course of the wind changed, preventing ships loaded with sick people from docking in Corsican ports, and therefore preventing the spread of the epidemic.
Placed in the niche of a house, today decorated with blue and green garlands, in the upper part of Place Foch (known as Place des Palmiers), the Pope wanted to pay homage to the Madonuccia before meeting the priests and people consecrated in the Cathedral of Sainte-Marie de l’Assomption. A young boy presented a candle to the Supreme Pontiff, who lit it before observing a time of silent prayer, followed by a brief musical interlude.
In the afternoon, the Mass presided over by the Holy Father was a new milestone in this historic visit, an unprecedented chapter in the history of this proud people.
Salvatore Cernuzio
et Jean-Benoît Harel
