Pope Francis has arrived in Ajaccio , Corsica . And even though this is Bergoglio's third visit to France , after his trip to Strasbourg (2014) and Marseille (2023), it is the first time a Pontiff has visited the island. At the Angelus, the Pope asked the "Madunnuccia", venerated in Corsica, to intercede for peace: "From this Mediterranean Island, we raise to her a plea for peace: peace for all the lands that overlook this Sea, especially for the Holy Land where Mary gave birth to Jesus. Peace for Palestine, for Israel, for Lebanon, for Syria, for the entire Middle East! Peace for Myanmar. And may the Holy Mother of God obtain the longed-for peace for the Ukrainian and Russian people. They are brothers, they are cousins, may they understand each other. War is always a defeat. Peace."

A "constructive citizenship" of Christians is needed - the Pontiff then said - so that "in doing good, believers can find themselves on a shared path also with secular, civil and political institutions, to work together in the service of every person, starting with the least". Then the focus on the "need to develop a concept of secularism that is not static and rigid, but evolutionary and dynamic, capable of adapting to different or unexpected situations, and of promoting constant collaboration between civil and ecclesiastical authorities for the good of the entire community, each remaining within the limits of their own competences and their own space".

In Ajaccio, waiting for the Pope, there were also many pilgrims who reached Corsica not without difficulty, due to the ferry trips cancelled due to bad weather. A problem solved by the Moby company which organised a trip for the faithful .

(Online Union)

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