For the first time in history, the remains of St. Francis of Assisi are going on public display. The event is set to run from February 22 to March 22, 2026 at the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, central Italy, marking 800 years since the saint's death in 1226, the Catholic News Agency reports. The move, announced on the patron saint's feast day, will mark 800 years since his death in 1226. In a statement, the Sacred Convent of Assisi said the saint's body will be moved from his tomb in the church's crypt to the foot of the papal altar in the lower church. His remains are kept in a sealed glass urn under the basilica, per the Daily Beast.
After the saint's death, his body was "made inaccessible beneath the basilica's high altar to prevent any possible theft. It remained hidden for centuries, until, after a long and arduous search, it was finally discovered on the night between Dec. 12 and 13, 1818," the Sacred Convent said. "The eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis, in 2026, is a time of remembrance and renewal. We do not celebrate death, but, recognizing it as a 'sister' to St. Francis, we celebrate the life that blossoms from the gift and offering of self." The Vatican News reports that the display has been approved by Pope Leo XIV, whose predecessor was the first pope to adopt the saint's name.
The announcement came following a Mass in Assisi attended by church leaders and government officials including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. They gathered to celebrate St. Francis' feast day, Oct. 4, which has been reinstated as a national holiday. "We celebrate Francis not because he needs us, but because we need him," Meloni said, describing him as a foundational figure for Italian identity. St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan Order, is the patron saint of animals and is one of Italy's two patron saints. Church authorities, expecting an influx of pilgrims, have set up a free online reservation system, reports Fox News.
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