Pope Francis arrives on 1st papal visit to Corsica, with focus on regional crisis, popular piety

A brief visit by Pope Francis to the French island of Corsica puts a dual focus on the Mediterranean, highlighting local traditions of popular piety on the one hand and migrant deaths and wars on the other. The one-day visit to Corsica’s capital Ajaccio, birthplace of Napoleon, on Sunday is one of the briefest of his papacy beyond Italy’s borders, just about nine hours on the ground, including a 40-minute visit with French President Emmanuel Macron. It is the first papal visit ever to the island, which Genoa ceded to France in 1768 and is located closer to the Italian mainland than France. A brass band and children in traditional garb greeted Francis at the aiport, and thousands lined the route of his motorcade waving flags and shouting greetings.