VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis will visit the French island of Corsica on December 15, the Diocese of Ajaccio announced, although the Vatican did not immediately confirm the trip .

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

A website launched by the diocese on November 21 included forms for registering as a volunteer and for making donations, but as of midday November 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.. 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 Our Lady of Mercy statue, 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 television outlet said the pope is scheduled to leave the island at 5:30 p.m. for the 65-minute flight back to Rome.

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.