Pope Francis will travel to the Mediterranean island of Corsica on Dec. 15. It's his third visit to France that avoids the capital and all the pomp and protocol that accompanies a proper state visit.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis will visit Corsica on Dec. 15, the local diocese said on its website on Thursday, in the first recorded trip of a pope to the French island in the Mediterranean.

Pope Francis will visit Ajaccio December 15, the Vatican confirmed November 23. The pope, who declined the invitation to attend the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, accepted an invitation from Cardinal François Bustillo,

Pope Francis will visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica in December, days after skipping the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, the Vatican said Saturday.

Pope Francis is set to visit the French island of Corsica next month to participate in a congress on religiosity in the Mediterranean region and celebrate Mass, the Vatican announced on Saturday. The island has never received a visit from a pope.

The journey includes Mass at Place d’Austerlitz and meetings with local clergy under Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo.

After days of behind-the-scenes talks, the pope's visit to Corsica on December 15 was confirmed by the Vatican. It will be a historic first for the island. Three weeks remain for the diocese and the city of Ajaccio to solve all the diplomatic and logistical challenges.

ROME, NOV 23 - Pope Francis will visit Corsica on Sunday, December 15, the Holy See Press Office said on Saturday. The Argentine pontiff will close an international conference on popular religious traditions organized by the Diocese of Ajaccio,

Pope Francis will visit Corsica for the first time on December 15. The visit, the first by a pope to the island, will include a speech in Ajaccio. Despite prior visits to France, this short trip marks a significant milestone in his travels across the Mediterranean.

Pope Francis will visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica in December, days after skipping the reopening of Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, the Vatican said Saturday.