Public veneration of the relics of Francis of Assisi comes to an end

 

Pilgrims in line to see the relics of St. Francis  (ANSA)

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Public veneration of St. Francis of Assisi’s relics ends

After welcoming more than 370,000 visitors since its opening on February 22, the public veneration of St. Francis of Assisi’s mortal remains came to a close on March 22.

Vatican News

Sunday, March 22, marked the end of the public veneration of St. Francis' remains, exposed for a month in the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.

This was the first time his relics were displayed and more than 370,000 pilgrims from all over the world came to see them. The public veneration was part of several events scheduled this year to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Saint’s death.

Cardinal Zuppi: let us listen to message of peace

To conclude the month, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, celebrated Mass in the Upper Church of the Basilica.

In his homily, he highlighted this current time period marked by individualism and conflict, in which “the tragic illusion is to fight evil with evil.” He said Christians are called to an “unarmed strength” born of the Resurrection, which opposes death and everything that leads to it.

“In this season that exalts force,” the Cardinal urged, “let us listen to the message of peace. How much fear and violence would already be disarmed if we simply said, with our faces and our words, ‘peace be with you.’”

Building the true path to peace

Cardinal Zuppi then highlighted the heart of the Christian message. “It is not force that rules the world,” he said, “because love is the only one that can change it.”

Referring to St. Francis, Cardinal Zuppi emphasized his universal relevance. “He does not belong to one people but to everyone” and he teaches “a love capable of recognizing every person as a brother.”

“It is a humble love,” he continued, “that does not give up and brings the world back to life, to the point of disarming death.”

In a world “afflicted by conflicts and divisions,” he invited everyone to become “builders of peace, disarmed and disarming witnesses,” “building bridges where walls are raised and rediscovering in the Gospel the path of dialogue as the only true defense of peace.”

Read also

17/02/2026

Remains of St. Francis to be visible for veneration in Assisi

St. Francis’ relics: a great consolation

The experience of the public veneration itself was “a great consolation” for the thousands of pilgrims who came to Assisi, the Cardinal emphasized.

Before St. Francis’ remains many rediscovered “strengths” and a concrete sense of God’s presence in daily life,” he added. Holiness “is not perfection but the reflection of God’s love in the poverty of our lives.”

We have become “a fraternity gathered around Francis,” said Fr. Marco Moroni, Custos of the Sacred Convent, referring to the flow of faithful who came to venerate the remains.

“A fraternity of 370,000 people gathered here and many others throughout the world. A composed and prayerful fraternity that sought to encounter, in the sign of poor and fragile bones, the full power of a life animated by the Spirit, which continues to bear fruit.”

Fr. Moroni thanked all those who collaborated, organized and participated in this event, which he said exceeded his expectations.

St. Francis called us to him

Fr. Giulio Cesareo, Director of Communications of the Sacred Convent, added: “Many asked me whether I expected such a large turnout, and I must say yes: I had no doubt that so many would come to encounter Francis.”

“What I did not expect was the collected and joyful way the pilgrimage unfolded: silence, patience, phones put away… and yet there are the remains of Francis and Giotto’s frescoes,” he continued. “The only explanation is that none of us came to see Francis—rather, he, alive, called us to speak to our hearts and minds.”

Fr. Cesareo also thanked all the journalists and communications workers who collaborated with the Sacred Convent and contributed to sharing information on this event.

A breath of newness

This month of veneration was a time of renewal and meaningful encounters centered on the figure of St. Francis. The community of friars, for example, welcomed brothers from Italy and from countries such as Brazil, the United States, Tanzania, India, Korea, and the Middle East.

The event also led to the creation of a music video to accompany the hymn of the public veneration, “Su questo colle” (“On this hill”).

Additionally, significant renovations were carried out in the Sacred Convent complex in order to remove architectural barriers and make the visit to the relics fully accessible to everyone.

This focus on inclusivity reflects St. Francis’ spirit, as he began his journey of conversion by reaching out to the most vulnerable and marginalized.

A journey that continues

In the evening, after the last pilgrims had passed through, the Saint’s remains were placed back in the crypt of the Basilica in a private event only attended by the friars and which marked the end of the public veneration.

Nonetheless, the theme “St. Francis Lives” will continue throughout 2026. It will accompany all the initiatives marking the 800th anniversary of the Saint’s death, highlighting the enduring vitality of his message and his ability to speak to all.

Veneration of relics of St. Francis of Assisi begins this week; marking 800th anniversary of his death

 

The chapel that hosts the relics of St. Francis in Assisi 

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Remains of St. Francis to be visible for veneration in Assisi

Fr. Giulio Cesareo, director of the Communications Office of the Sacred Convent of Assisi, speaks to Vatican News about the significance of exposing the relics of St. Francis of Assisi and the message he still bears for today’s world.

By Francesco Ricupero

From Sunday, February 22, until March 22, in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, pilgrims will be able—for the first time—to pray before the Saint's remains, as 2026 marks the 800th anniversary of his death.

In a time marked by uncertainty, social tensions, and a search for meaning, the display of St. Francis’ relics is an event that goes beyond simple devotion.

For the Catholic Church, it represents a powerful spiritual call and for the faithful it can be an opportunity for a tangible encounter with the living memory of one of the most beloved and universal saints.

Read also

17/02/2026

Remains of St. Francis to be visible for veneration in Assisi

In the city of Assisi, the display of the relics renews a profound bond between history, faith, and community, relaunching St. Francis’ message of peace, fraternity, and simplicity that continues to speak to today’s world. Around 15,000 to 18,000 people are expected daily to come see the remains, meaning around 370,000 visitors in total.

In the following interview with Vatican News, Fr. Giulio Cesareo, director of the Communications Office of the Sacred Convent of Assisi, reflects on what this ancient gesture means for society today. 

Q: What is the spiritual and pastoral significance of the display of St. Francis’ relics for the Catholic Church today?

Christians have always venerated relics, because the saints—especially the martyrs—are those who testified with their lives that the love of God fully embraced them, and God’s love is not something abstract; it involves the flesh.

These people served the poor, prayed, fasted, loved others, and allowed themselves to be consumed by love for Christ. Christians have always venerated the lives of the saints because, in them, they saw the action of the Holy Spirit filling their flesh with this love.

This is the context for venerating St. Francis’ relics. We have chosen the Gospel of John, Chapter 12, verse 24, as our interpretative key. In it Jesus, speaking of Himself, says that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit

St. Francis is truly this seed who, in the manner of Jesus, of the saints, of the martyrs—and perhaps of all people of good will—gives himself in daily life. Whoever gives himself is consumed; there is no way around it, but he then bears fruit!

Q: In what way does the exposition of the relics strengthen the sense of belonging and communion among the faithful, both locally and universally?

It strengthens faith. Our faith is not a pre-existing belief, but a relationship with the Lord, who is love. Having faith is inseparable from the experience of being one, united in love.

In this sense, venerating St. Francis’ relics means being strengthened. It means receiving the grace to be reaffirmed in this certainty: that whoever loves, while spending and consuming himself, is in fact nourishing the bonds of unity—those of the Church, those of charity.

The more we live in love and self-giving, the more our humanity becomes our very essence as human beings. What unites us to others is not ideas, but the love we give in our relationships.

Venerating St. Francis is an opportunity to consider how love given authentically bears so much fruit—so much so that 800 years later, he is still spoken of.

Q: What impact does this event have on the local community and on pilgrimages to the basilica?

Certainly, in this month, Assisi and the surrounding area live through this event. Accommodations have been practically sold out for months: hotels, restaurants—everything is booked.

We hope this can be an opportunity of grace, because our society constantly tells us: “Think of yourself. Don’t give yourself. Don’t worry about others. Take care of yourself first.” St. Francis says exactly the opposite, and his bones testify to this.

They are the bones of someone who gave himself, who consumed himself, by walking, kneeling, and living in caves. He tells us in our hearts: do not be afraid to give yourself, because in doing so you bear fruit. I think this is beautiful and deeply beneficial for all of us.

Q: Why does the figure of St. Francis continue to speak to young people and non-believers through concrete signs such as relics?

I believe it is St. Francis himself who speaks. The relics are part of his biological matter. Just as you can hear me because I speak and therefore have a body—if I did not have a body, I would not have a voice.

Our body is the place where relationships happen. In the same way, St. Francis' relics are also the shell of this seed of Francis that has sprouted, and it is a shell that tells us about him.

Why do people seek him? I am convinced that people seek St. Francis because he is truly the Gospel. In him we see that when the Gospel is welcomed, it is good news for the world, for individuals, and for the community. That is what attracts people.

From the beginning, Francis was called alter Christus—not in the sense of another Christ, but as an icon of Christ, an image resembling Christ.

Q: Is the exposition merely a moment of popular devotion, or does it also represent an ecclesial act with strong theological and cultural significance?

We have provided much information on the website sanfrancescovive.org and on the basilica’s social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. We want to nourish devotion—our love—through an ecclesial experience that is theologically grounded, but not necessarily difficult. Theology was not born to be difficult. It was born to express in words the life that dwells within us.

In this sense, we see in St. Francis the shell of a seed that has germinated in charity, crossing time and space. This is an encouragement for all of us to live our daily lives with love. That is what St. Francis invites us to do.

Q: In a time marked by social crises and conflicts, what universal message can St. Francis of Assisi convey to the faithful?

St. Francis did not live in a time much better than ours. There were religious wars, internal city conflicts, great disputes, family feuds, and much injustice. He did not live in an ideal historical moment. Yet his message is beautiful: if a person truly embraces the Gospel, he creates a different story around himself; he creates new relationships.

We often hear a voice in the background saying: “You can’t do anything. You are alone. You are useless. The powerful rule. We can do nothing.” Yet Francis testifies that it is a lie, because if one person embraces the Gospel, he may not change the whole world, but he may change things around him.

For 800 years St. Francis has continued to touch people’s hearts. I believe the beautiful message is this: we cannot solve every problem, but if each of us takes one step, that step leaves an impact—it has an effect. And it is a lie to say that we can’t do anything.

A special Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi; plenary indulgences available

 

The passing of Saint Francis of Assisi, whose eighth centenary is being celebrated this year 

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Year of Saint Francis: 'Indulgence is an encounter with God, not a spiritual shortcut'

The Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary comments on the decree published on Friday announcing plenary indulgences during the special Jubilee Year proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Saint’s death, stressing. “The Year of Saint Francis must not become yet another chapter rich in special spiritual effects, but a silent passage from enthusiasm to deep maturity, from spectacular celebration to imitation in daily life.”

By Fr. Marek Weresa

The special Jubilee Year of Saint Francis proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV will take place from 10 January 2026 to 10 January 2027, on the occasion of the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi.

In an interview with Vatican Media, Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, said we must not fear that the sacred time of the Jubilee will become “banal.

On this day in which the Decree of the Penitentiary announcing the plenary indulgences during this special Year was published, Bishop Nykiel speaks of mercy that surpasses the limits of human justice and stresses that indulgence is not a “dispenser of graces.”

The Apostolic Penitentiary has issued a Decree granting the plenary indulgence during the Year of Saint Francis on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of his death. What exactly are the conditions, and to whom is it addressed?

The Apostolic Penitentiary, in accordance with the will of Pope Leo XIV, has issued a Decree granting the faithful the plenary indulgence during the Year of Saint Francis, celebrated on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the death of the Saint of Assisi. The life of the Poor Man of Assisi shows that God’s mercy works in history also through people who have opened their hearts to His action.

Looking at his example, we see that God’s grace can transform even the greatest weaknesses. Precisely indulgence makes it possible to free the heart from the burden of sin, since it is the remission by God of the temporal punishment for sins that have already been forgiven in the sacrament of penance and reconciliation, so that one may carry out the due reparation in full freedom.

Therefore, the Jubilee is an opportunity for the faithful to rekindle their faith, strengthen their relationship with God and with the community of the Church.

To obtain the plenary indulgence during the Year of Saint Francis, certain specific conditions indicated by the Church must be fulfilled: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, certain prayers according to the intentions of the Pope, interior detachment from sin, and the performance of certain works, such as a pious pilgrimage to Franciscan churches, participation in Jubilee celebrations, prayer and meditation in the Franciscan spirit, as well as daily acts of charity and humility that express the spirituality of Saint Francis.

I would like to emphasize that a significant element of the document is the care shown for the sick and the elderly who cannot leave their homes; they may unite themselves spiritually to the celebration of the Year of Saint Francis by offering to God their prayers, sufferings, and daily difficulties of life, and by committing themselves to fulfilling the usual conditions as soon as this becomes possible.

The great spiritual experience of the Jubilee Year 2025 is now behind us. We are now facing another special moment: the Year of Saint Francis. How can we avoid spiritual “fatigue” caused by exceptional events? What can we do to prevent this time from becoming banal?

This is a very pertinent question. After the intense and beautiful spiritual experiences of the Great Jubilee, we can indeed be threatened by what might be called an “inflation of holiness,” which occurs when exceptional events lose their ability to move the heart. But in the life of faith, it is not a matter of a continual “more,” but of a “deeper.” The Jubilee Year of Hope was a time of grace; the Church opened wide her doors. Now it is essential to ask ourselves: what has happened to me since then? Without pausing and assimilating experiences, even the holiest moments remain at the level of emotions.

It may be helpful to return to notes, homilies, and retreats from the Jubilee. Identifying and isolating a single concrete fruit that has remained with me (for example, greater trust, reconciliation, a new practice of prayer), and making it a starting point rather than an end in itself. The figure of Saint Francis is particularly valuable in the context of spiritual fatigue. He does not propose “more practices,” but simplicity and authenticity: a return to personal reading of the Gospel, joy in small things, a faith lived in relationships, not only in events.

The year dedicated to Saint Francis can be an invitation to simplify prayer by deepening it, rather than multiplying it; to live the Gospel concretely rather than merely talking about it. We must not fear that the sacred times of Jubilees become “banal.” They are not meant to astonish us continuously, but to give proper orientation to the heart. The Year of Saint Francis must not become another chapter full of special spiritual effects, but a silent passage from enthusiasm to deep maturity, from spectacular celebration to imitation in daily life.

In the document of the Apostolic Penitentiary, we read these words: “This Year of Saint Francis should encourage all of us, each according to his or her own possibilities, to imitate the Poor Man of Assisi.” What message does the life of Saint Francis offer to modern man?

The biography of Saint Francis shows that true imitation of Christ is not based on declarations or ideas, but on a concrete and real lifestyle rooted in the Gospel. He reminds us of the timeless value of poverty and simplicity. By renouncing wealth and social prestige, Francis showed that freedom of heart is born of detachment from material goods. For today’s person, living in a world of consumerism, this is an extremely timely invitation to moderation, responsible use of goods, and placing God and neighbor above material possessions: it is a matter of “being” more than “having.”

In our time, when faith is often superficial or reduced to emotions and experiences, his attitude also encourages consistency between faith and daily life, and witness given through actions rather than only words or feelings. Saint Francis teaches active and fraternal love, especially toward the weakest, the poor, and the marginalized. His life was a response to indifference and sometimes to selfishness—problems just as evident today, when interpersonal relationships tend to flatten and “the virtual prevails over reality.”

Not least, St. Francis also shows that peace is born from a converted heart, not from self-interested declarations or compromises without truth. In a world marked by conflicts, social violence, and insecurity, his life is a call to build peace based on the Gospel of Christ, the only Redeemer of humanity!

The decree speaks of the need to “detach from sin” in order to obtain the indulgence. How should this requirement be interpreted concretely?

The requirement of “detachment from all sin” mentioned in the decree may seem one of the most difficult elements of the theology of indulgences. From a pastoral perspective, it is worth considering it not as an ideal available only to a few, but as an attitude of the heart to which every Christian is truly called. From a theological point of view, it is not only about committing a sin, but about the interior acceptance of sin, the pleasure it brings, or the willingness to commit it again.

A person may confess and at the same time keep in their heart the thought: “I know it is wrong, that it is not good, but I do not want to stop doing it.” Such an attitude is an attachment to sin that neutralizes grace. By contrast, the detachment from sin that is required is not an emotional sense of purity, but an act of the will that says: “Lord, I want no sin at all, not even the smallest.”

First of all, it is not a state of sinlessness. A person may have weaknesses, recurring venial sins, and may even experience painful falls. What matters is the intention and the orientation of the heart: the sincere decision to break with sin here and now. If someone says to God: “I do not want sin, I hate it, even though I know I am weak,” then there is no attachment to sin in that person.

With the solemn rite celebrated this morning in the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, at the Porziuncola, the commemorative year of the passing of the Poor Man officially began …

How can the faithful be helped in a more mature spiritual preparation so that they do not treat indulgence as a “dispenser of graces”?

It is essential to understand that indulgence is first and foremost an encounter with God, and that its power lies not in our human efforts, but in the grace of God that transforms the heart. From this flow several conclusions. All penitential practices—such as confession, Communion, pilgrimage, prayer—are instruments of preparation that facilitate the encounter with God, but they do not replace the experience of grace itself.

The authentic fruits of indulgence appear when a person consciously opens themselves to God’s transforming power, allows Him to act in their heart, heals relationships, forgives, and is converted. Therefore, indulgence is not “religious magic” or, as stated in the question, “a dispenser of graces,” but an invitation to a living relationship with God, in which the human person accepts the gift of mercy rather than trying to conquer it. God acts; the human person responds with generosity and faith.

If pastors help the faithful to perceive indulgence as a stage on the path of conversion, and not a spiritual shortcut, it will indeed become an instrument of maturation and deepening of faith—and this is, ultimately, the principal goal of the Jubilee Year of Saint Francis.