Overview

• Pope Francis has confirmed his plan to visit Ajaccio, Corsica, on December 15, marking a historic first for the island.
• The visit coincides with a colloquium on popular religiosity in the Mediterranean, a topic of significant interest to the pope.
• Preparations for the visit involve Vatican and Élysée teams working on logistics, including security and public access.
• The announcement has sparked enthusiasm among Corsica's largely Catholic population, with local hotels experiencing a surge in bookings.
• Despite the visit to Corsica, Pope Francis will not attend the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris earlier in December.