During this period, the saint’s body — long concealed in the crypt beneath the Basilica of St. Francis — will be moved to the foot of the papal altar in the lower church, allowing pilgrims a direct encounter with the relics
Newsroom (06/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a ceremony rich with symbolism, Assisi announced Friday that the remains of St. Francis, the city’s revered 13th-century founder, will be publicly displayed for the first time next year, marking the 800th anniversary of his death.
The event, framed as a global call to spiritual renewal, will run from February 22 to March 22, 2026. During this period, the saint’s body — long concealed in the crypt beneath the Basilica of St. Francis — will be moved to the foot of the papal altar in the lower church, allowing pilgrims a direct encounter with the relics. The announcement came from the loggia overlooking the Lower Square of the basilica on October 4, coinciding with the feast day of St. Francis, Italy’s patron saint. Thousands gathered below as Franciscan officials detailed the plans.
Organizers describe the display not merely as a religious milestone but as a “universal spiritual experience,” aimed at fostering peace, brotherhood, and reverence for creation — core tenets of Francis’s legacy. Pope Leo XIV has endorsed the initiative through the Vatican’s Secretary of State, aligning it with Franciscan Jubilee traditions to revive the saint’s radical Gospel values: poverty, fraternity, service, and ecological praise.
The basilica’s crypt, where the remains have rested since their 1818 rediscovery, adds layers of intrigue to the proceedings. After Francis’s death in 1226, his body was hidden under the main altar to thwart relic thieves. Subsequent examinations, including a 2015 verification, confirmed the bones’ authenticity and remarkable preservation, bearing traces of the saint’s stigmata — the wounds mirroring Christ’s crucifixion.
Anticipating a surge of visitors from around the world, the Franciscan community has implemented a free, mandatory reservation system via the multilingual website www.sanfrancescovive.org. Pilgrims can choose between guided group visits, featuring a short meditation in their native language led by a Franciscan friar, or silent, individual reflections. Both formats conclude with a brief liturgical rite and a commemorative token from the friars.
Accessibility is a priority: Adapted paths and accommodations for disabilities can be requested during booking. The upper church will host two daily international Masses from Monday through Saturday, with special events tailored for families, religious orders, Franciscan clergy, and those with disabilities on select days.
“This is more than an act of popular devotion,” said Franciscan Giulio Cesareo, director of the basilica’s communications office. “It’s an invitation to reclaim the power of self-gift, the vitality of selfless love, and the revolutionary impact of a life aligned with God and neighbor. St. Francis endures: His remains affirm that holiness isn’t an abstract aspiration, but an attainable path for everyone.”
Assisi, the Umbrian hilltop town that has safeguarded the saint’s ethos for centuries, braces for its role as a pilgrimage epicenter. In the basilica’s hushed nave, before the “Alter Christus” — as Francis was known — visitors may yet echo the divine call that transformed a wayward youth into a beacon of renewal: “Francis, repair my house.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Zenit News
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