Pope Francis landed in Corsica on Sunday (15), in the first recorded trip by a pope to the French island in the Mediterranean.
The short visit to the island’s capital Ajaccio, where Francis is expected to speak at a conference on popular religiosity in the Mediterranean region, is his 47th trip abroad since becoming pope in 2013.
Corsica, famous for its steep, mountainous terrain and for being the birthplace of Napoleon, is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean. It is one of the poorest regions in France, where around 20% of the population lives below the poverty line, according to government figures.
Pope Francis has called on Catholic priests to protect themselves against spiritual groups that fuel political divisions.
At a conference on religion in the Mediterranean, the pontiff warned against varieties of spirituality that “seek self-aggrandizement by fueling polemics, narrow-mindedness, divisions and exclusivist attitudes.”
Francis, making his third and likely final trip abroad in 2024, did not name any specific religious group.
The pontiff will spend around nine hours in Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica. After attending the conference, he will celebrate an outdoor mass with local Catholics and also meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.
This content was originally published in Pope Francis arrives in Corsica for the first papal visit to the French island on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
