Pope will visit French island of Corsica Dec. 15, diocese says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis will visit the French island of Corsica Dec. 15, the Diocese of Ajaccio announced, although the trip was not immediately confirmed by the Vatican.

The diocese, which covers the entire island, is led by Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo, who is hosting a conference Dec. 14-15 on popular religiosity around the Mediterranean basin.

A website launched by the diocese Nov. 21 included forms for registering as a volunteer and for making donations, but as of midday Nov. 22 did not have details on the program for the papal visit.

However, France 3 Television reported that the pope is scheduled to arrive at Napoleon Bonaparte Airport at 8:40 a.m. where he will be officially welcomed by either French President Emmanuel Macron or Prime Minister Michel Barnier and a delegation of ministers. The parties are then expected to have a meeting in the airport terminal.

The pope is scheduled to visit the remains of the early Christian baptistery of the island's first cathedral on his way to the conference center where he will give the closing speech at the gathering on popular religiosity, France 3 reported.

After a brief prayer before the city's statue of Our Lady of Mercy, the pope will meet with the island's priests and religious.

After lunch and a rest, France 3 said, Pope Francis will celebrate at outdoor Mass at 3:30 p.m. at Casone with an estimated 8,000 people.

The pope is scheduled to leave the island at 5:30 p.m. for the 65-minute flight back to Rome, the television outlet said.

The trip would be the first visit by a pope to Corsica, even though it is only about 300 miles from Rome.

According to the "Annuario Pontificio," a Vatican yearbook, about 81% of the island's almost 344,000 inhabitants are Catholic.