370k pilgrims register to see relics of St. Francis of Assisi displayed for the first time

(LifeSiteNews) — About 370,000 pilgrims are expected to visit the remains of St. Francis of Assisi, which are on extended public display for the first time in history, since Sunday.

According to a report by EWTN News, hundreds of pilgrims lined up on February 22 to be among the first to pray before the sacred relics of St. Francis, displayed in the basilica dedicated to him in Assisi, Italy.

Today in Assisi, the mortal remains of St. Francis of Assisi were solemnly transferred from his tomb to the Basilica of St. Francis, opening an unprecedented period of public veneration marking the 800th anniversary of his death. Nearly 350,000 pilgrims have already registered to… pic.twitter.com/8odOSk05WG

— EWTN News (@EWTNews) February 22, 2026

The bones of the world-famous saint have been placed in a glass box and will be displayed through March 22. To handle the large crowds, about 750 people are allowed to enter the basilica’s lower church every 30 minutes.

According to the Franciscan friars who organized the event, a public veneration of the saint’s remains has never occurred in history. The viewing is part of the celebrations marking the 800^th anniversary of the saint’s death in 1226.

As of February 2021, 370,000 people had registered in advance for a time slot, with about 80 percent of registered pilgrims coming from within Italy. However, the friars are expecting visitors from countries on all continents, including more than 5,000 from the United States.

The new bishop of Assisi, Felice Accrocca, said at a press conference that St. Francis was barely five feet and two inches tall and “wore dirty clothes and his face was not beautiful, yet God gave great power to his words.”

“Francis continues to speak. I hope that this month will help us to reflect on this,” Accrocca stated.

Pope Leo XIV has declared 2026 a “Special Year of St. Francis” in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of his death. Until January 10, 2027, Catholic faithful may obtain a plenary indulgence by making a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship named after St. Francis or connected to him, under the usual conditions: sacramental confession, reception of Holy Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Pope.

St. Francis of Assisi (born 1181, died 1226) is the founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans). He was born into a wealthy family but chose to live in poverty and serve the poor after a profound conversion to the faith. He received the stigmata two years before his death and is revered as one of the most important saints of the Middle Ages and, indeed, the entire history of the Church.