Ajaccio: Pope Francis has wrapped up his historic one-day trip to the Mediterranean island of Corsica, making him the first pontiff to visit the island. His visit, which took place on Sunday, December 15, carried the message "Jesus went about doing good," and was centered around the conclusion of a religious conference in the island's capital, Ajaccio, hosted by both civil and local church leaders.

Arriving at Ajaccio's Napoleon Bonaparte Airport just before 9 AM local time, the Pope received a warm reception from a crowd of dignitaries, including French Interior Minister Bruno. After a cordial handshake with the Minister, four children greeted the Pope with bouquets of flowers, offering their respects. The Pope, in turn, blessed the children and presented them with gifts. As he departed, a military band played both the Vatican and French national anthems in his honor.

During his visit, Pope Francis addressed around 400 attendees at the conference, which included people from Spain, Sicily, Sardinia, and southern France. His day also featured a gathering with priests at the historic 17th-century Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, heartfelt interactions with the faithful, a Mass attended by around 7,000 people, and a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

This marks Pope Francis' forty-seventh apostolic journey abroad. The theme of the visit, "Jesus went about doing good," is derived from Acts 10:38. Although this was his third trip to France, having previously visited Strasbourg in 2014 and Marseille in 2023, it was his first time setting foot in Corsica.