Discovering the heritage of Carbini in the footsteps of i Ghjovannali".

The "Giovannali Trail", a hiking route full of history that takes you back through the centuries. The path starts at the church of Carbini and leads to the Punta. A path between nature and culture.
The signposting along the path allows you to retrace the main stages in the history of the Ghjuvannali or Giovannali brotherhood.
In addition to its historical interest, the trail offers a breathtaking view of the valley and the surrounding Corsican mountains. The hike is accessible to all levels of fitness and can be completed in half a day.

The history of the Ghjuvannali
During the 14th century, the Christian West underwent an evolution in devotional practices, largely influenced by the rise of the Franciscan order and the traumatic effects of the Black Death. For many believers, renunciation of wealth, penance and imitation of the life of the poor and suffering Jesus was the surest path to salvation. The Franciscans encourage the creation of lay communities, also called tertiaries or fraternities of the Franciscan Third Order, which apply the precepts of humility and poverty advocated by St Francis of Assisi.
In Corsica, a poor region dominated by small lords prone to violence, the Franciscan message found a particular echo. In 1352, a community of Franciscan tertiaries was formed in Carbini, which took the name "Giovannali". Under the leadership of Rostaurius, this community clashed with the bishop of Aleria, who had authority over the Carbini region, notably by refusing all episcopal authority and also taxation. They made many enemies, both ecclesiastical and seigneurial. In 1352, the bishop of Aleria obtained a papal excommunication from Pope Innocent VI against these 'heretics'. Although initially supported by the Bishop of Pisa, they were definitively recognised as heretics.
A papal commissioner, supported by the local lords, organised a military crusade in the area of Carbini and the Eastern Plain. Between 1363 and 1364, in the name of the Church, many Ghjuvannali with women and children were massacred in Carbini, Ghisoni, the convent of Alesani and other villages. Some chose to die with their arms in their hands rather than renounce their faith. The last Ghjuvannali were burnt in Ghisoni, at the foot of the mountains called Kyrie Eleison and Christe Eleison.