On 22 February 2026 — the feast of the Chair of St. Peter — the mortal remains of Francis of Assisi were moved from the sealed crypt where they have rested since the thirteenth century and placed at the foot of the papal altar in the Lower Basilica, available for public veneration for the first time in the modern era.
The occasion is the 800th anniversary of Francis's death on 4 October 1226. The Sacro Convento of Assisi is hosting the exposition under the title San Francesco Vive — Saint Francis Lives — through 22 March 2026, with the approval of Pope Leo XIV through the Vatican Secretariat of State.
The Exposition
Francis died singing Psalm 142 on the bare earth of the Porziuncola. Within hours his body was carried in procession through Assisi. Pope Gregory IX, who laid the foundation stone of the great double basilica to guard the remains, ordered the tomb concealed inside a fortified structure beneath the church — fearing theft or desecration. For nearly six centuries, the exact location of Francis's bones was unknown even to the friars who prayed above him.
In 1818, after 52 nights of excavation through solid Subasio rock, workers reached a stone sarcophagus beneath the high altar of the Lower Basilica. The remains of Francis were intact. The crypt was opened to pilgrims in the 1820s under Pope Pius VII; a major renovation under Pope Pius XI between 1925 and 1932, designed by Ugo Tarchi, gave it the austere neo-Romanesque form pilgrims know today.
During the exposition, the sarcophagus — a Roman-era stone vessel repurposed for the saint — has been moved from the crypt to the Lower Basilica nave, where pilgrims may approach it within a few feet at the base of the papal altar. The crypt remains open for private prayer throughout the exposition period.
What You Will See
The Lower Basilica is one of the great medieval interiors of Europe: low vaulted ceilings dense with frescoes by Cimabue, Simone Martini, and Pietro Lorenzetti, the chapels of St. Martin and St. Mary Magdalene flanking the nave. At the altar crossing, the sarcophagus is lit by candles. The friars enforce silence throughout.
Four niches in the crypt walls below hold the tombs of Francis's closest companions: Brothers Leo, Rufino, Masseo, and Angelo — the men who walked with him, recorded his words, and guarded his memory. Their presence remains accessible during the exposition.
Photography is not permitted. Modest dress is enforced at the basilica entrance — shoulders and knees covered.
Booking
Attendance is free. Reservations are mandatory at sanfrancescovive.org. Two veneration paths are offered:
- Guided — a Franciscan friar accompanies the visit with spiritual reflection, available in multiple languages; approximately one hour.
- Silent — self-guided personal veneration with written explanations; approximately 90 minutes.
Arrive 45 minutes before your reserved slot. Pilgrims receive a gift from the Franciscan community on departure.
The Wider Circuit
Pilgrims with more time can extend the day across Assisi and into the surrounding valley:
- St. Clare (died 1253) — Crypt of the Basilica di Santa Chiara: incorrupt body in a glass casket, habit intact; locks of her hair cut by Francis in 1212 displayed in the adjacent chapel; the original San Damiano crucifix that spoke to Francis is in the nave.
- St. Angela of Foligno (died 1309) — Church of St. Francis, Foligno, 18 km: declared a saint by Pope Francis through equipollent canonization in 2013; her remains rest in the church that bears the name of her own spiritual father.
- St. Carlo Acutis (died 2006) — Sanctuary of the Renunciation, Assisi center: canonized by Pope Leo XIV in September 2025; his tomb draws pilgrims of every generation to a shrine ten minutes' walk from the Basilica.
Getting to Assisi
Regional trains run from Rome Termini (approximately 2 hours, change at Foligno) and Florence (approximately 2–2.5 hours). The station lies in the valley; Line C bus climbs to the historic center, stopping near the Basilica. See the full Assisi pilgrimage guide for accommodation, transport, and the complete site circuit.
Official bookings and programme: sanfrancescovive.org. Basilica information: sanfrancescoassisi.org.
