For the first time in eight centuries, the resting place of one of the Church’s most beloved saints will be opened to the faithful. The relics of St. Francis of Assisi—the humble friar who renounced wealth to embrace Lady Poverty—will be displayed publicly at the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy, from February 22 to March 22, 2026, for a special period of veneration.
A Once-in-a-Millennium Moment of Faith
According to Daily Mail, the remains of St. Francis will be transferred “from his tomb in the crypt and placed at the foot of the papal altar in the lower church of the basilica,” allowing pilgrims to pray before his relics for the first time since the Middle Ages. The Vatican confirmed that the event will mark the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death, an occasion of “remembrance and renewal,” celebrating “a life that blossoms from the gift and offering of oneself.”
The veneration will conclude with a brief liturgical rite and a symbolic gift to pilgrims from the Franciscan community. Because of the expected crowds, the Vatican has asked the faithful to register online in advance for a chance to visit the saint’s remains.
The Saint Who Embraced Poverty and Radiated Love
Born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone between 1181 and 1182, the son of a prosperous cloth merchant, Francis’ early life was marked by privilege. But after a series of mystical visions and encounters with Christ in the poor and the leper, he renounced worldly wealth to live in radical simplicity. From that surrender grew the Franciscan Order, dedicated to preaching, penance, and joy in God’s creation.
St. Francis is honored as the patron saint of animals, ecology, and Italy, remembered for his love of all creatures and his unshakeable humility. The basilica that bears his name in Assisi has become a center of pilgrimage and renewal for countless believers.
The Miraculous Stigmata and Holy Legacy
As Daily Mail recounts, the friar once “had a vision of an angelic being,” after which he was found bearing the stigmata—the visible wounds of Christ’s Passion—on his hands, feet, and side. This “Miracle of the Stigmata” is considered one of the greatest mystical graces in Christian history, a sign of the saint’s deep union with Christ crucified.
Francis died in 1226 at the age of 44 and was canonized just two years later by Pope Gregory IX. For nearly six centuries, the precise location of his remains was hidden to protect them from desecration. When the tomb was rediscovered in 1818 during excavations ordered by Pope Pius VII, witnesses described the body as “remarkably intact for its age,” wrapped in the coarse habit of the Franciscan friars.
A Living Witness to Peace, Faith, and Love
Today, the relics rest inside a sealed glass urn filled with nitrogen to prevent decay—a sign of the Church’s care for this sacred treasure. Over time, the bones have darkened and dried, “yet they retain a striking human form,” a quiet reminder of the saint’s enduring humanity.
“The event’s motto is ‘Saint Francis Lives,’” Vatican News said, underscoring how his witness continues to inspire new generations “to bear fruits of peace, faith, and love.”
Eight hundred years later, the poor man of Assisi still calls the Church—and the world—to rebuild what is broken, beginning with our own hearts.
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