Eight centuries after his death, the bones of St. Francis of Assisi have been placed on public display for the first extended viewing in history, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and travelers to the hilltop town.
Following Pope Leo XIV’s approval and blessing of the exposition, St. Francis’ skeleton was exhumed from the simple, bare sarcophagus where it normally rests and placed on a specially prepared table in the crypt of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi.
His remains will be on display until March 22, when Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian bishops’ conference, is to preside over a closing celebration.
Since the opening day on Feb. 22, bout 400,000 people had registered to venerate the remains, according to the Franciscan community at the Sacred Convent of Assisi.
The majority have been Italian pilgrims, though the second-highest number of registrations have come from the U.S.
The friars at the Sacred Convent in Assisi described the exposition as “an invitation to rediscover the legacy of Francis, a man whose message of peace and fraternity continues to resonate deeply with humanity.” According to Catholic tradition, the physical remains of a saint are known as first-class relics. They are venerated not as magical objects, but as tangible reminders that holiness touches both body and soul.
Born in Assisi, Italy, around 1181, Francis was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant and enjoyed a carefree, even indulgent youth. After a period of illness and a spiritual awakening, he renounced his family’s wealth and embraced a life of radical poverty, humility, and service to others.
He founded the Franciscan Order, a movement devoted to living the Gospel through simplicity, charity and deep compassion, especially for the poor and marginalized.
Francis is known for his profound love of nature, often described as seeing all creation (animals, the elements, even death) as brothers and sisters in a shared divine harmony.
Among his most impactful contributions is the Canticle of the Sun, one of the earliest works of literature in the Italian language, celebrating God through the beauty of the natural world.
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