Kyrie Eleison et Christe Eleison, les deux sommets de Ghisoni

Ghisoni

Above the village of Ghisoni, in Haute-Corse, two rocky summits bear the names of a prayer: Kyrie Eleison and Christe Eleison, ‘Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy’. These names are linked to a dramatic story. In the mid-14th century the Ghjuvannali (or Giovannali), dissident Franciscans born at Carbini, preached poverty, sharing of goods and non-violence. They opposed the Church and the lords. The bishop of Aléria excommunicated them in 1352, then accused them of heresy before Pope Innocent VI in 1354. A crusade followed, supported by lords: in 1363 and 1364 many Ghjuvannali, women and children included, were massacred at Carbini, Ghisoni and elsewhere. The last ones, who had taken refuge at Ghisoni, were burned there. According to popular memory reported by Visit Corsica, while the condemned walked to the stake, the priest and the villagers sang ‘Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison’; the two mountains seemed to take up the chant, hence their name. The Porto-Vecchio tourist office, for its part, gives the names of the mountains without explaining their origin, and dates both the formation of the group and the papal excommunication to 1352. The dates in the sources therefore differ slightly.

Getting there: The summits overlook the village of Ghisoni; hiking routes were not verified. Coordinates: Punta Kyrie-Eleison in OpenStreetMap; the Christe Eleison was not located separately.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound