ASSISI, Italy (LifeSiteNews) — During the memorial of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4, Friar Giulio Cesareo, director of the Sacred Convent in Assisi, announced that the saint’s remains will be publicly displayed for the first time in history. The display will take place from February 22 to March 22, 2026, at the foot of the papal altar in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis and will mark the eighth centenary of St. Francis’s death.
“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,” stated the press release.
“It is in this spirit that, thanks to the approval granted by the Holy Father Leo XIV through the Vatican Secretariat of State, the public display of his mortal remains will take place.”
St. Francis of Assisi, born in 1181, led an early life of vice, often engaging in sin through his attendance at parties with people whom he had admired. After having an experience with a leper who later turned out to be Christ Himself, Francis converted and gave up his life of pleasure and vainglory to found the Franciscan Order. The life of humility lived by St. Francis continues to be a model for the religious order he founded.
The remains of St. Francis, long hidden beneath the high altar of the basilica to prevent possible theft, were officially identified in 1819 and subsequently reaffirmed in 1978 and again in 2015.
Following the announcement of the exposition, Catholic faithful eagerly began reserving time slots to venerate the beloved saint. Within just four days, over 30,000 pilgrims had already registered to make the journey. Friar Cesareo attributed this overwhelming response to the deep love that Catholics have for St. Francis.
“It is a demonstration of the love we profess for him, and we hope, as we have reiterated on numerous occasions, that it will also be a culturally enriching experience,” stated the friar.
