Pope Francis chose Corsica for his visit to France

The bells rang out in Ajaccio (Southern Corsica), Saturday November 23, to celebrate the arrival of Pope Francis on the island. A historic first. On December 15 at 9 a.m., the sovereign pontiff will set foot in Corsica, an unexpected event for some. “We are proud that he comes to visit this magnificent island.” confides a man. The program will be precise: a speech, a meeting with the faithful and an open-air mass.

Why did the Pope choose to come to Corsica rather than accept Emmanuel Macron's invitation to attend the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris? Last September, he had already refused to go to the capital. Behind the scenes, one of his relatives, the bishop of Ajaccio, convinced him to come to Corsica. A political choice, in accordance with the personal convictions of the Pope, who has always avoided overly institutional events.

Corsica now has three weeks of intense preparations ahead of it. 100,000 people are expected in Ajaccio, including Emmanuel Macron, who will travel.

Watch the full report in the video above