Calvi Cathedral, Baroque cathedral in Calvi, France

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral in Calvi is a baroque church in the citadel, rebuilt in 1570 after partial destruction. Its pale yellow facade has a single portal framed by white pilasters and a triangular pediment, with two square bell-cote towers and a round dome topped by a lantern and cross. The interior is all white, with a Greek cross plan, a polychrome marble main altar, and side chapels holding a black ebony Christ and a wooden Virgin.

The cathedral became the seat of the Bishop of Sagona beginning in 1576 and served in this role until merging with the Bishopric of Ajaccio in 1801. This centuries-long religious importance shaped the place and its role in the island's church hierarchy.

The cathedral serves as the starting point for Holy Week processions in Calvi, where a statue of Mary is carried through the streets in different colored robes. These processions shape the religious life of the town and draw both believers and visitors to participate.

The building is located in the walled old town and is easy to reach on foot by walking up the narrow streets. The church remains open to visitors during the week and hosts regular services for the local community.

The ebony Christ of the Miracles, kept in the right-hand chapel, was first carried in procession in 1555, when Calvi was under siege; the attackers are said to have lifted the siege after the prayers. On 15 March 2020, confreres of Saint Anthony and Saint Erasmus carried it to the citadel ramparts during the covid-19 pandemic.