Hundreds of Thousands of Pilgrims Venerate St. Francis’ Remains in Assisi

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are visiting the Italian hill town of Assisi this month to venerate the relics of Francis of Assisi, whose bones are being displayed publicly to mark the 800th anniversary of his death.

According to Vatican News, the relics of the beloved saint are being shown for an entire month, an extraordinary event given that they have been publicly displayed only once before in the eight centuries since his death, and then only for a single day in 1978.

So far, more than 220,000 pilgrims have visited the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi to pray before the relics. The Franciscan friars who serve the shrine expect the number of visitors to reach as many as 400,000 by the end of the exhibition, Vatican News reported.

Father Benedict La Volpe, who ministers to pilgrims in Assisi, said each visitor leaves with a renewed spiritual encounter.

“Pilgrims leave knowing they have encountered St. Francis,” he said. “They encounter the spirit and the person of Francis, who continues to speak to them even 800 years after his death.”

In a statement, the basilica described the display of the relics as “an invitation to rediscover the heritage left by Francis, a man whose message of peace and fraternity continues to speak to the heart of humanity,” Vatican News reported.

The saint had asked to be buried outside the city walls of Assisi, in a place once known as the “Hill of Hell,” where criminals were executed. Today, the site is home to the grand basilica built in his honor, renowned for its frescoes by Giotto.

Inside the lower basilica, pilgrims, including many elderly and wheelchair-bound visitors, wait patiently in line to spend a few moments in silent prayer before the saint’s skeleton.

Reflecting on the enduring message of St. Francis, Father La Volpe said the saint’s life points to the importance of inner peace born from an encounter with God.

“That interior peace,” he explained, “can grow in our hearts, extend into our communities, and ultimately spread into the world.”

At a time when global conflicts continue to challenge humanity, the witness of St. Francis, rooted in humility, peace, and fraternity, remains a powerful inspiration for believers and seekers alike.