Ligurian in France

Introduction / History

The Ligurians or Ligures mostly live in northwestern Italy. Smaller groups live in France and Monaco. The original home of this ancient people is Liguria in Italy near the city of Genoa. Most experts believe the Ligurians are an offshoot of the Celtic peoples. By 124 BC, Liguria had become part of the Roman Empire. In 49 BC, Ligurians were given Roman citizenship.
In modern times Liguria became part of the newly unified nation of Italy in 1871. The primary language today of the Ligurians is Italian. Less than 10% of the adult Ligures speak the Ligurian language that is also known as Genoese. The language is slowly disappearing. Young people prefer to speak Italian or French.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Ligurians are culturally more like the northern Italians than the French. They are the ones who came up with pesto. Liguria is largely a resort area, much like the luxurious French Riviera, where some Ligurians live today.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Ligures people are nominally Roman Catholics. Only about 10% of Ligurian Catholics attend mass on a regular basis. They get married and buried by the Roman Catholic church. Their children are baptized by Roman Catholic priests into the church. Most Ligurian people in France are more concerned with their family's economic and social well-being rather than teachings of the Roman church.
Evangelical Christians believe that the Bible is the only source of authority for Christ's church. Roman Catholics see tradition and the official teachings of the popes and bishops as also being very important. Still evangelicals and Catholics have many beliefs in common such as belief in the Trinity and the virgin birth, the deity and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

What Are Their Needs?

Ligurians in Italy, France and Monaco need to understand that they can have a personal love relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Christianity is not a set of rules or system of morality. Christians can know for certain that their sins are forgiven, and they have eternal life. According to Roman Catholic teaching, one cannot be assured of one's salvation.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to revive the Roman Catholic church in France so that it focuses on Jesus Christ.
Pray for Ligurian churches to be Christ centered rather than tradition centered.
Pray that the Lord sends disciple-makers to the Ligurian people in France.
Pray for spiritual hunger and a discernment that will keep the Ligurian people in France away from spiritual counterfeits.

Text Source:   Joshua Project