Location: Vatican City
Pope Francis has announced that he will skip the reopening ceremony of Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral in December, opting instead for a visit to the French Mediterranean island of Corsica. The Vatican confirmed this on Saturday, with the pope choosing to focus on a conference in Corsica on the Catholic faith in the Mediterranean.
Pope Declines Invitation to Notre Dame Reopening
Despite being invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Notre Dame reopening ceremony on December 7, Pope Francis, at 87 years old, has declined the invitation. Instead, he will travel to Corsica’s capital, Ajaccio, a week later on December 15 for the aforementioned religious conference.
Some French bishops expressed their frustration over the pope’s absence from the Notre Dame event. However, Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, head of the Bishops’ Conference of France (CEF), emphasized that the cathedral’s reopening was about the building itself, not the pope’s presence. He clarified that Pope Francis did not want to distract from the main focus of the occasion, insisting that his absence was not a slight against France.
Historic Visit to Corsica
The pope’s visit to Corsica will be his first to the island, where 90% of its 350,000 residents are Catholic. The island remains deeply rooted in religious traditions, making this a significant event. During his one-day trip, Pope Francis will give two speeches, preside over a mass, and meet with French President Macron.
Bishop of Ajaccio, François-Xavier Bustillo, spoke of the importance of this visit, stating that they would provide exceptional means to welcome the Holy Father.
Pope’s Relationship with France
Pope Francis has visited France twice since becoming the head of the Catholic Church in 2013. His previous visits include Strasbourg in 2014, where he addressed the European Parliament, and Marseille last year, where he met President Macron. However, the pope has yet to make a state visit to France, one of Europe’s primary Catholic nations.
