Devoted pilgrims gathered early on a recent Sunday in Assisi, hoping to catch the first light of dawn over the sacred city. Among them was Brother Marco Borgioli, a Franciscan friar from Florence, eager to be one of the first to witness an extraordinary event: the public display of St. Francis’s remains.
He wasn’t alone in his fervent anticipation. Hundreds of people of all ages converged on the basilica, a testament to the enduring legacy of the saint. Brother Marco reflected, “It’s striking that after 800 years, Francis is alive. He’s not a museum, he’s alive, and he touches people’s hearts.”
To honor the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’s death, the bones believed to be his were solemnly moved from their crypt at the basilica bearing his name. They will now be exhibited in the church above for a full month, offering a unique opportunity for veneration.
While various artifacts belonging to St. Francis have been showcased over the centuries, his physical remains—preserved in a nitrogen-filled plexiglass case—have only been briefly displayed to the public once before, in 1978.
“So many people love Francis, all over the world,” explained Brother Marco Moroni, the custodian of the Franciscan convent. “So why not allow many people the opportunity to share this joy?”
Already, nearly 400,000 individuals have secured a time slot to see the relics of one of Christianity’s most revered figures. Even more are expected to arrive without reservations, a prospect that has Mayor Valter Stoppini of Assisi feeling a mix of reverence and apprehension.
Believers lined up to see the bones of St. Francis at the basilica bearing his name in Assisi, Italy, on Sunday.
Mayor Stoppini faces the delicate task of balancing the profound needs of pilgrims seeking a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual experience with the practicalities of managing a month-long influx of visitors to his town of 28,000 residents. “I hope to survive,” he quipped.
Assisi has been a focal point for pilgrims ever since St. Francis passed away there in 1226, having established an order that spread globally. The basilica itself is a rich repository of 13th- and 14th-century art, drawing many art enthusiasts and the faithful alike. Recently, younger adherents have also come to pray to Carlo Acutis, the Roman Catholic Church’s first millennial saint, who died in 2006, was canonized last year, and is also interred in Assisi.
Yet, St. Francis remains Assisi’s undisputed star attraction, particularly for Italians, who consider him their nation’s patron saint and an intrinsic part of their national identity.
Aldo Cazzullo, author of a popular book on St. Francis published in 2025, proudly declared him “the first Italian.” Cazzullo highlighted that St. Francis penned the Canticle of the Creatures, widely regarded as the first poem written in Italian, and positioned the saint as a “precursor of humanism, which is the great gift that we Italians have given to civilization.”
The historian even suggested a connection between St. Francis and Italy’s cherished cappuccino. Marco d’Aviano, a 17th-century friar of the Capuchin order, a branch of the Franciscans, is credited with the invention of the beloved beverage by adding milk to coffee.
The remains have been shown to the public only once before, briefly, in 1978. They will be on display at the basilica for a month.
Historian Alessandro Barbero, who also authored a best seller about the saint, noted that throughout history, both civil and ecclesiastical authorities have actively fostered the idea among Italians that they are, in some sense, “proprietors of St. Francis.” This sentiment was evident when Pope Pius XII designated St. Francis as Italy’s patron saint in 1939, prompting Mussolini’s government to declare his feast day, Oct. 4, a national holiday. Although rescinded in 1977, Parliament reinstated it just last year, with near-unanimous support.
Pilgrims at the basilica on Sunday. St. Francis’s message of peace and protecting the environment has informed modern-day causes.
St. Francis’s timeless message, particularly his advocacy for peace and environmental stewardship, continues to resonate with modern causes. Since 1961, countless individuals have participated in peace marches from Perugia to Assisi. Pope Francis himself chose his papal name in homage to the saint and titled his pivotal encyclical on climate change, “Laudato Si” (Praise be to You), drawing directly from the Canticle of the Creatures.
Brother Marco, the convent’s custodian, acknowledged the immense public interest but emphasized that a month of public viewing is the maximum the friars can manage. “It’s been much more complicated than we imagined,” he stated, citing the increased security measures and the need for dedicated medical staff.
St. Francis was laid to rest in the basilica in 1230, but the exact location of his remains remained a mystery for centuries. A tomb believed to be his was uncovered in 1818, and following an official inquiry, Pope Pius VII confirmed the bones belonged to the saint.
Since then, the remains have been exhumed only a few times for verification and private prayer by the friars. The public had only a brief opportunity to see them in 1978, until now.
Currently, the world is invited to pay homage, with an astonishing 1,500 people per hour making their way through the basilica.
Emerging from the basilica on Sunday, Cristina Berretta, a teacher from nearby Bastia Umbra, noted the efficiency of the moving line, designed “to give everyone the chance to pay special homage.” She felt this was fitting for such a “historic event” and expressed her hope for its lasting impact. St. Francis “can bring us back to a message of peace,” she affirmed. “We all hope that this event will awaken everyone’s spirit.”