On the 21st February in Assisi, in the Basilica of St. Francis, the extraordinary exposition of the mortal remains of St. Francis began, which will be exhibited for a month in the Lower Basilica, on the occasion of the VIII Centenary of the Transit of the Saint (1226-2026). The initiative represents a time of grace that unites the faithful, pilgrims and institutions in the name of universal fraternity.
After the exhumation of the mortal remains of the saint in the morning in the crypt of the Basilica, in the afternoon, at 4.00 p.m., the celebration of the translation and the prayer of Vespers was held in the lower church, presided over by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, papal legate for the Papal Basilicas of Assisi, with the participation of the friars of the entire Franciscan Family. Among the OFMs present were Br. Ignacio Ceja Jiménez, Vicar General, Br. Cesare Vaiani, Coordinator of the Franciscan Family Committee for the VIII Centenary, part of the General Definitory and Br. Francesco Piloni, Minister Provincial of the Friars Minor of Umbria and Sardinia. In his homily, Cardinal Fernández Artime indicated the exposition as "an event of extraordinary grace" and, addressing the faithful, invited them to live this time not with nostalgia, but as a path of concrete conversion: "Stop. Look. Let yourselves be touched by my Love."
The celebrations continued on the 22nd February with Sunday Mass at 11:00 a.m., again presided over by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime. The calendar of the exhibition also includes liturgical and cultural events in the coming weeks, until the final celebration on the 22nd March.
The exhibition offers pilgrims the opportunity to pause in prayer before the remains of St. Francis. The reservations received to date indicate a wide international participation: at the moment, the pilgrims who have registered for free for the veneration of the remains of the Poverello, the Poor Man of Assisi (which will end on the 22nd March ) are hundreds of thousands.
For the veneration, free booking is required through the official portal sanfrancescovive.org. On weekdays, the entrance is from 7.30 am (on weekends from 7.00 am), with the Basilica closing at 7.00 pm. In the Basilica, it is not allowed to take photos or videos.