The bones of Saint Francis of Assisithe medieval friar who inspired Pope Francis generations of Christians before him, will be displayed publicly for the first timegiving his hilltop hometown in the Umbria region all the more reason to welcome pilgrims.
That’s a mixed blessing for Assisi Mayor Valter Stoppini, residents and Franciscan friars organizing the month-long display of relics to mark the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death this year.
Almost 400.000 personas have already registered to pray before the relics, and Stoppini estimates that the number could well reach half a million before the bones return to their tomb on March 22.
A small army of 400 volunteers has been recruited to guide them through the cobblestone streets of the medieval city and take them to the lower basilica of St. Francis to view the bones, which are preserved in a bulletproof glass box.
That will put enormous pressure on the city centre, with its narrow streets lined with souvenir shops and limited services. But it will also test the patience of the residents of Assisi, who are no strangers to mass arrivals of pilgrims, although usually only during limited celebrations.
“We are used to these types of events, but they last one, two or three days,” Stoppini said. “This is a long thing, for a month, so I’m a little worried, but calm.”
One of the most popular destinations
A saint who inspired a pope and many others Assisi is one of the most popular Christian pilgrimage destinations in the world. It is located on a hill in the Umbrian countryside and is built with a limestone with pink tones that gives it its characteristic glow, especially at sunset.
Millions of pilgrims come every year thanks to the presence of the tomb of Saint Francis and the spectacular basilica that rises above it, decorated with frescoes by Giotto that illustrate the life of the saint.
San Francisco was born into a wealthy family in 1182, but renounced his wealth to live as a mendicant friar after receiving what he claimed was a calling to rebuild and reform the church.
He is famous for his message of peace, his love for creation and his care for the poor, teachings that strongly inspired Pope Francis, the first pontiff to take the name of the saint.
Although the remains of St. Francis have been periodically inspected over the years by Franciscan friars to ensure their preservation, this is the first time they have been put on public display.
The decision to remove them from the crypt and welcome pilgrims for a month is a way to keep their message alive and give Christians the opportunity to pray before them, authorities said.
Stoppini said a month-long exhibition was the most he could ask of Assisi residents, given the pressure on the city, which has already seen a massive arrival of pilgrims in 2025.
Assisi also has a new saint Although Assisi is famous for St. Francis, a new saint is attracting a new generation of pilgrims: Carlo Acutis, canonized last year by Pope Leo XIV as the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint.
Acutis, who died at the age of 15 from leukemia, is buried in another basilica in Assisi, but his enormous popularity, especially among young Latin Americans, has turned the town into a new religious destination for Catholic youth groups visiting Italy.
«When we go out to the square, we find many people asking us: ‘Where is Carlo? Where is Carlo?'» said Brother Marco Moroni, custodian of the convent of Saint Francis.
Last year alone saw a 30% increase in pilgrim numbers, although that was probably due to the canonization of Acutis and the Holy Year, which brought some 33 million pilgrims to Rome, many of whom also later traveled to Assisi.
“The beautiful thing is that the saints do not declare war on each other, thank God,” he added.
“Many of those who come to the basilica go to see Carlo, and many of those who go to see Carlo Acutis come to the basilica, creating an osmosis and a growing movement that, however, does generate some problems for the city.”
For the inhabitants of Assisi, religious tourism is necessary. Souvenir merchants in Assisi, who make their living from the religious tourists and pilgrims who flock to the picturesque town, have welcomed the month-long event.
“Other people will see what we see every day,” with the spirit of Francis permeating the town, said shopkeeper Arianna Catarinelli, who works in a souvenir shop on the town’s main street leading to the basilica.
The store offers T-shirts with Assisi’s name, pens with Acutis’s photo, coffee mugs with Saint Francis motifs and neon-colored rosaries.
«For residents, finding parking is not easy. But for businesses, I think it’s positive that there are so many people,» he said.
To cope with the influx, the council has created new car parks outside the center and operates a shuttle service to take people into the town.
AP Agency.
GML
