For the first time in history, with Pope Leo’s approval, the skeleton of St. Francis of Assisi will be displayed publicly for veneration from February 22 to March 22, 2026. The Roman Church has announced that these bodily relics will be accessible to pilgrims to mark the 800th anniversary of his death.
St. Francis was a Catholic saint and mystic who founded the Franciscan order. Though born wealthy, he intentionally lived a life of radical poverty and extreme asceticism, including wearing coarse clothing without shoes, sleeping on the the bare ground, and frequently not eating or drinking to the point of starvation. An itinerant preacher who was known to have vivid visions, he was also a longtime practitioner of flagellation, spending years tearing and cutting his flesh with whips. After a particularly intense vision of angels, he is said to have received the stigmata—the wounds of Jesus on his hands, feet, and side.
According to Vatican News, the relics will be moved from his tomb in the crypt of the Franciscan Basilica to the foot of the papal altar in the lower church.
6 responses to “Remains of St. Francis of Assisi Put on Display For the First Time Ever To Mark 800th Anniversary Of His Death”
IDOLATRY !
When scientist put the bones together, what kind of new dinosaur will it be?
Who cares about some dead guy?
I’m the big business now.
Bow down and worship me lest I throw you in Alligator Alcatraz.
I think Protestia needs some polemic words about their comments.
This is absurd: why do I want to see somebody’s bones? Seeing the bones of St Francis, if that’s what they are, does not really help with the memory of the man.
If you’re catholic they believe bones can impart all manners of miracles. A bit different than the grave soaking NAR, but probably worse. Relics are items, generally parts of bodies, or things like the shroud of turin, that can impart miracles and visions nd such. Do I believe that? Of course not. But the Catholic church has long been infected by superstition and witchcraft.
I’m sure he had plenty of hallucinations from starvation, dehydration, and pain. The Catholic church is always filled with wild lies about visions. So what magical abilities and gifts does one get for making a trek to his magickal corpse?