For the first time, the body of St. Francis of Assisi will be on public display from February 22 to March 22, 2026. This historic and religious event was announced on October 4, the feast day of the saint, and will coincide with the eighth centenary of St. Francis’s death in 1226.
The announcement came from the Loggia delle Benedizioni by Fray Giulio Cesareo, director of the press office of the Sacred Convent, following Mass in the Upper Basilica of Assisi. The Mass was presided over by Monsignor Camillo Cibotti, president of the Episcopal Conference of Abruzzo and Molise, alongside Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, papal legate for the papal basilicas of Assisi, the bishop of Assisi, and representatives of the Franciscan orders.
In his homily, Monsignor Cibotti highlighted the “newness of life” that St. Francis brings to the world. “A new way of feeling, thinking, and living Christ,” he remarked. During the celebration, Pierluigi Biondi, mayor of L’Aquila, lit the votive lamp of the Municipalities of Italy, representing the Italian people.
The first part of the feast of St. Francis, patron saint of Italy, concluded with speeches by officials from the loggia of the Sacred Convent. The event also marked the reinstatement of October 4 as a national holiday.
“In recent days, Parliament approved the law declaring October 4 a national holiday,” said Friar Marco Moroni, OFMConv, custos of the Sacred Convent, at the beginning of the ceremony. “This is not merely a tribute to the patron saint of Italy but a recognition of values that resonate with everyone. For this celebration to be meaningful, it must inspire concrete actions: communities through their daily lives, local governments through choices for justice and inclusion, and Parliament and government through laws and policies aligned with these principles. Each of us is called to embrace a sober and fraternal lifestyle.”
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, also in attendance, addressed the nation from the loggia: “The devotion of Italians to St. Francis is strong, genuine, and heartfelt, visible in the faces of the pilgrims here. Today, Italy looks to Assisi because St. Francis is a founding figure of our national identity. He was a man of action, extreme but not extremist. We celebrate him not because he needs us, but because we need him.”
During the celebration, the public exposition of St. Francis’s remains in 2026 was officially announced. A press release from the Sacred Convent stated: “This display, rooted in the evangelical theme of the seed that dies to bear fruit, invites reflection on the life of the saint, who continues to inspire humanity after 800 years with his example of peace, brotherhood, service to the poor, joy, and care for creation.”
“The eighth centenary of St. Francis’s death in 2026 is a moment of remembrance and renewal. We do not celebrate death, but, recognizing it as a ‘sister’ to St. Francis, we honor the life that blossoms through self-giving,” the statement continued.
“Thanks to the approval of Pope Leo XIV through the Vatican Secretariat of State, the public display of his mortal remains will take place,” the statement added.
The saint’s body will be moved from his tomb in the crypt to the foot of the papal altar in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis. The tomb itself holds deep historical and religious significance: after St. Francis’s death, his body was concealed beneath the basilica’s high altar to prevent theft and remained hidden for centuries. It was rediscovered on the night of December 12–13, 1818.
The first official recognition of the remains occurred in 1819, confirming their authenticity. Subsequent verifications took place in 1978, ahead of the 750th anniversary of his death, and most recently in 2015.