The remains of Saint Francis of Assisi will be publicly displayed for the first time

For the first time in history, the body of Saint Francis of Assisi, which rests in his original tomb, will be visible to the entire public from February 22 to March 22, 2026, as part of the commemoration of the eighth centenary of his death.

The announcement was made on the feast day of Italy’s patron saint, October 4, from the Lodge of Blessings, a ceremonial room in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, by Brother Giulio Cesareo, director of the Press Office of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.

According to ACI Stampa —EWTN News Italian agency—, during the event, Brother Marco Moroni, Custos of the Sacred Convent, referred to the recent decision of the Italian parliament to restore the feast of Saint Francis as a national holiday.

Fra Maroni stressed that it is not only a tribute to the patron saint of Italy, but also a “recognition of the values ​​that speak for everyone.” For this celebration to be “truly fruitful,” he invited Italians to assume concrete responsibilities: “our communities with their daily lives; local governments with their decisions of justice and inclusion; Parliament and the government with laws and policies consistent with what is proclaimed today; each of us with sober and fraternal life options.”

For her part, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, also present at the celebration, noted that the “devotion of Italians for Saint Francis is strong, authentic and visceral.” He highlighted that the saint “was a man of action, extreme but not extremist.” “Today we celebrate Francis not because he needs us, but because we need him,” he added.

800 years “inspiring all humanity”

He website of the Holy Convent, as the Franciscan basilica is known, points out that this experience invites us to reflect “on the life of the saint, which continues to bear fruit after 800 years and inspires all humanity on the path of peace, fraternity, service to the most disadvantaged, joy and care for creation.”

The Franciscans indicated that this event is an opportunity to “see the Gospel of Christ lived fully in the life of a person, who is like us.” Likewise, it is an invitation to “stop in prayer before the remains of the one called ‘old Christ‘, for it is the authentic image of Christ, a living mirror of the Gospel.”

It is, the Franciscans highlight, “an experience that calls us to recognize how the surrender of ourselves in love, although it consumes us, when lived in union with Christ, becomes the step to the fullness of Life, which is communion with God the Father and with all humanity through the action of the Holy Spirit: love, principle and fulfillment of unity.”

The crypt of San Francisco

Likewise, the website points out that, After his death, the body of Saint Francis was placed “inaccessible under the main altar of the Basilica to prevent its theft.” After a long search, he was finally found on the night of December 12, 1818.

“Today, contemplating these remains means experiencing first-hand the realization of the Gospel lived in its fullness,” the text mentions.

For this event, the mortal remains of Saint Francis will be transferred from his tomb, located in the crypt, to the foot of the papal altar in the lower church of the Basilica of Saint Francis.

How to participate?

To be able to see the remains of San Francisco it is necessary to make a reservation at www.sanfrancescovive.org.

The faithful can participate in two ways: individually or in a group. In the group modality, a friar will guide and accompany the faithful to “help them grasp the spiritual meaning of the experience.” This option will be available in Italian, English, Spanish, German and Polish. If other languages ​​are required, a request must be sent to info@sanfrancescovive.org.

As indicated, at the end of the veneration journey a brief liturgical rite will be performed and each participant will receive a symbolic souvenir offered by the community of friars.

In addition, two international Holy Masses will be celebrated from Monday to Saturday in the upper church of the Basilica of Saint Francis, at 11:00 and 17:00, and various evenings of community veneration will be organized.