Exhibition of the Remains of Saint Francis
For the first time, the remains of the Poor Man are exhibited, on the VIII Centenary
About Exhibition of Saint Francis
An unprecedented historical event
The Exhibition of the Remains of Saint Francis is an event without equal in Franciscan history. For the first time, the mortal remains of the Poor Man are publicly exhibited for an extended period, at the foot of the papal altar in the lower church of the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi (Province of Perugia), in the heart of Umbria.
The relics and the VIII Centenary
The exhibition is part of the celebrations for the VIII Centenary of the death of Saint Francis (1226-2026). The saint's relics, whose authenticity was scientifically ascertained in 1818 and reconfirmed by Pope Pius VII in 1820, are kept in a protected reliquary and placed in the stone urn that has housed them since the 19th century. For the occasion, they are offered for the veneration of the faithful with particular conservation care.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims
The event attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world to Assisi: estimates speak of about 400,000 visitors. The Basilica and the entire city are preparing to welcome this extraordinary influx, in an atmosphere of deep spirituality that brings the evangelical testimony of Saint Francis back to the center. The exhibition is organized by the Sacred Convent of Saint Francis with the approval of the Holy See.
Exhibition of Saint Francis — edition 2026
From February 22 to March 22, 2026, the Exhibition of the Remains of Saint Francis was held, a historical event without precedent for the celebrations of the VIII Centenary of the saint's death. The urn with the relics was displayed at the foot of the papal altar of the lower church of the Basilica of Saint Francis.
The remains, preserved in a protected reliquary with conservation care, were offered for veneration by about 400,000 pilgrims. Access, free but with mandatory booking on the sanfrancescovive.org portal, included two options: a guided group visit led by a friar with a meditation moment, or individual silent veneration.
Programme Exhibition of Saint Francis 2026
February 22 - March 22, 2026 — Basilica of Saint Francis, lower church
Throughout the period, the urn with the relics of Saint Francis was displayed at the foot of the papal altar. Two types of visits were available:
- Group visit guided by a friar, with a short meditation moment
- Individual veneration in silence
Free access with mandatory booking via the sanfrancescovive.org portal, with attention to accessibility and multilingual support.
Highlights Exhibition of Saint Francis 2026
Prices Exhibition of Saint Francis 2026
Practical information — Exhibition of Saint Francis
How to get there
The Basilica of Saint Francis is located in the historic center of Assisi (PG). By car: SS75, with parking at Porta San Pietro and Piazza Matteotti. By train: Assisi-Santa Maria degli Angeli station with shuttle buses to the center. Given the exceptional turnout, the use of park-and-ride facilities and shuttle buses is recommended.
Visit
Access is free but requires mandatory booking through the official portal sanfrancescovive.org. Two options are available: guided group visit led by a friar (with a short meditation moment) or individual silent veneration.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Exhibition of Saint Francis
Basilica di San Francesco, chiesa inferiore
Piazza San Francesco 2, 06081 Assisi