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Over 400,000 individuals have signed up to view the relics that will be exhibited for a month, marking the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis of Assisi’s death.
The exhibition aims to rekindle the saint’s enduring message of peace and brotherhood, which has made him one of the most cherished figures in Christianity. His legacy is so influential that Pope Francis chose to honor him by adopting his name—a first for any pope.
The saint’s remains are securely housed in a slim, bulletproof Plexiglas case within the lower Basilica of St. Francis, located in the picturesque Umbrian town that the medieval friar himself brought to fame.
Saint Francis, originally named Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, was born in 1181 in Assisi, Umbria.
Widely recognized as a mystic, poet, and saint, he established the Franciscan Order, which continues to thrive today. During his lifetime, he gained renown as a beloved itinerant preacher.
He was canonised less than two years after his death in 1226.
Since his death he has legendarily become known as a protector and lover of animals.
His body was in fact lost for centuries after his death, after one of Francis’ close followers, Elias, secretly buried the saint’s remains in a basilica that was intended to house his tomb.
He feared plunderers might seek to steal Francis’ body, such was the saint’s reputation, and use it to bolster the status of a church of their choosing.
It was a fairly common medieval practice for invading armies to seize holy relics, or for unscrupulous merchants or religious leaders to swindle them away.
Relics, including the bones of saints, were often publicly displayed in churches and cathedrals and were objects of prayer for faithful Catholics.
Thus, Francis’ body remained buried anonymously under a column in a building that was meant to proclaim his holy glory and lure pilgrims – and their money – to Assisi.
The bones were discovered in 1818 during renovation works and Pope Pius VII declared them to belong to Francis.
Security was tight but discreet yesterday morning local time as the first pilgrims passed through metal detectors before filing into the basilica.
Police declined to provide details, but said extra officers, sniffer dogs, plain-clothed police, television cameras and other measures were being used to protect the relics.
Some people signed up to visit the relics when the exposition was first announced in October, and they were slotted into 10-minute increments starting that morning.
Silvanella Tamos travelled to Assisi from Pordenone, north of Venice, with a group of 54 people from her diocese. They had had one of the earliest slots Sunday, at 9.30am.
“It’s a body that’s alive,” she said.
“It’s not a dead body. He still has a lot to tell us today.”
The bones show the disease and ill-health Francis suffered through his life, and confirmed the saint’s small physical stature – one dwarfed entirely by his contemporary and posthumous legend.
With Associated Press.
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