Pope Francis makes 1st papal visit to France’s Corsica awash in expressions of popular piety

AJACCIO, Corsica — Pope Francis on the first papal visit ever to the French island of Corsica on Sunday called for a dynamic form of laicism, promoting the kind of popular piety that distinguishes the Mediterranean island from secular France as a bridge between religious and civic society. ”They will be your joy and your consolation in the future.” Earlier, at the close of a Mediterranean conference on popular piety, Papa Francescu, as he is called in Corsican, described a concept of secularity “that is not static and fixed, but evolving and dynamic,” that can adapt to “unforeseen situations” and promote cooperation “between civil and ecclesial authorities.” The pontiff said that expressions of popular piety, including processions and communal prayer of the Holy Rosary “can nurture constructive citizenship” on the part of Christians. Both Macron and Francis expressed their “deep concern” regarding the situation in Gaza and called for “an immediate and lasting ceasefire” and “the massive delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid,” according to Macron’s office. The visit to Corsica seems far more suited to Francis’ priorities than a grand cathedral reopening, emphasizing the “church of the peripheries.” It was Francis’ third trip to France, each time avoiding Paris and the protocols that a state visit entails.