For the first time in eight centuries, the mortal remains of St Francis of Assisi are being exposed for an extended period of public veneration, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world to pray before “the Little Poor Man of Assisi.”
The bones of the beloved saint were unveiled for public display February 22 in the Lower Church of the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi. Pilgrims waited in line outside of the Assisi basilica, taking in the panoramic views of the Umbrian countryside from the medieval hilltop town, for their chance to pray before the relics.
The veneration runs through March 22 as part of the Catholic Church’s yearlong celebration of the 800th anniversary of St Francis’ death in 1226.
Heather Martin, an American mother who has lived in Assisi for five years with her family, was among the first pilgrims to venerate the relics.
“St Francis is by far the most important saint in my life. He’s shown up for me in so many ways and so many dark moments,” she told OSV News.
“This experience to be able to go and physically see his physical form has been utterly life-changing.”
Martin recalled a conversation she had with one of the Franciscan friars about the experience. “He felt like he was finally meeting a long-lost relative for the first time,” she said. “And I can’t agree with that more.”
Franciscans from across the world participated in a solemn vespers with the exposed relics beneath the basilica’s frescoed ceiling on the evening before the relics opened to the public.
Friar Ignacio Ceja Jimenez, a Franciscan friar from Mexico, called it a historic moment of fraternity for all branches of the Franciscan family “because we all recognize ourselves as children of St Francis, heirs to his charism.”
“Seeing and praying before the body of St Francis also means that we must commit ourselves to living what he lived,” he said.
Approximately 370,000 people from five continents have registered to venerate the relics, with Italians making up 80% of registrants. International registrations include 5,000 from the United States, 3,100 from Croatia, 2,000 from Slovakia and 1,500 each from Brazil and France. Some 400 volunteers from dozens of countries are giving of their time to make the monthlong historic event possible.
Entry to view St Francis’ relics is free, but it requires advance registration at saintfrancisliveson.org. The exposition will close with Mass on March 22 in the Upper Church, to be presided over by Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference.
