Pope Francis will not attend the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris on December 7-8 but will instead visit Ajaccio for an apostolic journey. The Pope, nearing 88 and facing health challenges, is tied up with a consistory at the Vatican. His visit to Ajaccio is intended for the closure of a conference on popular religiosity in the Mediterranean, a topic he is passionate about. French bishops note the Pope prefers visiting places often overlooked by his predecessors, emphasizing his focus on regions with less Christian presence.