The Pope's visit to Corsica will be confirmed in a few hours

According to Cardinal François Bustillo, the sovereign pontiff will honor Ajaccio with his presence on December 15. An announcement which has no longer caused much doubt for several weeks, and which should be officially announced in the coming hours.

The rumor had been buzzing since the end of October. The declarations of the island clergy and the surveys carried out on the ground by the Vatican in recent weeks no longer really left any room for doubt. And it is now almost official: Pope Francis should go to Corsica, and more precisely to Ajaccio, this December 15.

A historic first for the island, marked by the Christian religion – 90% of the inhabitants declare themselves to be Catholic, according to the Church of Corsica – and with ancient links with the Vatican.

The formalization of this exceptional trip should take place in the coming hours, indicates Cardinal François Bustillo, who held a press conference in front of the bishopric this Thursday morning. “The Pope will come, there is no problem“, assures the latter.

The Holy See should soon communicate on the subject, and could, in passing, specify the program of the coming and the route which will be taken by Pope Francis. If the announcement was planned for this noon, diplomatic and administrative adjustments justify a delay, explains Cardinal Bustillo.

“Everything is ready, we are ready, but we are part of a reality where dialogue is needed between two States, the Holy See and the Elysée“, he recalls. There is, however, a “good understanding“general between the State, the Collectivity of Corsica, the town hall of Ajaccio and the Vatican so that this trip can be organized in the best conditions.

The cardinal also specifies that a call for donations will be made by the Church of Corsica as part of this trip. “We have a site that we have already set up. We need hands, volunteers, and we also need generosity. We are waiting for the Corsicans to be generous so that we can have a happy time and can properly welcome the Pope.“As a reminder, the pope's visit to Marseille in 2023 represented a budget of around 2.5 million euros.

Nothing to discourage Cardinal Bustillo, however. “I live this with confidence. The Church of Corsica is poor, but creative. And I am convinced that the Corsicans are generous: I have seen it and I see it every day. Some will be able to give 5 euros, others 50 euros, others 300,000 euros. It's up to everyone to see. But it is important that for this historic event everyone can participate.”

In addition to the Vatican delegation, a ministerial delegation would also be expected on the island this December 15. An official welcome, headed by either the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, or his Prime Minister, Michel Barnier. An exchange between the head of state or the head of government and the pope could in particular be organized.

After Starsburg in 2014 and Marseille in 2023, this will be the sovereign pontiff's third trip to France. Invited by the President of the Republic to attend the official reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on December 7 and 8, Pope Francis decided to refuse the request, preferring to favor other trips.

However, there is no “controversy“or difficulties between the French State and the Vatican on this point, assures Cardinal Bustillo, who reminds us: “The Pope is a free and responsible adult, and he makes choices. He chose Corsica, we are delighted, and we want to emphasize the symbolic side.”