From his historic visit to Ajaccio last Sunday, Pope Francis brought back priceless images of the popular fervor which reigns on the island and which he was able to witness, but also numerous gifts given by the various communities and actors of this event unpublished. In order to thank the Holy Father for having honored Corsica with his presence for a day, the president of the Corsican Assembly and the president of the Executive also wished to offer him symbolic gifts, which they presented this Friday in the premises of the Corsican Community.
In reference to Corsican nature and its wild and indomitable character, Marie-Antoinette Maupertuis gave him a young Lariciu pine grown in the Castelucciu nursery, which will be planted in the Pope's summer residence, in Castel Gandolgo. On behalf of Corsica and the Corsican people, the president of the Executive, Gilles Simeoni, for his part wanted to give him a gift ” which would exalt the historical dimension of this trip and the links between Corsica, the Vatican and the Pope.” A mission that he entrusted to Toni Casalonga, one of the artisans of Riacquistu. Faced with the challenge proposed to him to symbolize this exceptional moment, the artist from Pigna then imagined a commemorative medal decorated with one of his paintings, created in 2018 for the Museu di a Corsica. An allegorical work entitled The strong breasts of the Cyrnii in warinspired by the motto of the papal guardia corsa of the Vatican meaning Corsica with a fearless heart in combat, with strong symbolism: una muvra for nature, la bandera for culture, as well as a village and a shore to represent the soul of the island, each of these elements being oriented towards the four cardinal points to emphasize the universality of these representations.
