Remains of St Francis of Assisi go on display

People will be able to view the remains of Catholic saint Francis of Assisi, on show from Sunday for the first time since his death some eight centuries ago.

The remains of Italy’s patron saint can be seen in the small town of Assisi, located in central Italy and home to a mere 27,500 people.

Running through to March 22, the display is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors.

More than 350,000 people have already registered to see the relics in the Papal Basilica of St. Francis.

Francis of Assisi (1181/82-1226) is one of the most famous saints in the Catholic Church.

The son of a wealthy cloth merchant from Assisi, he broke away from his family in his early 20s in the early 13th century and devoted himself to his faith. He led a life of absolute poverty.

Just two years after he died in his mid-40s, he was declared a saint. Italy marks the anniversary of his death, October 4, with a public holiday.

The coffin containing his body was buried deep in the ground in a hidden location, remaining there for almost six centuries.

In 1818, then pope Pius VII gave Franciscans permission to uncover the tomb. A new crypt was built especially for the sarcophagus in the lower church of the basilica.

Since then, scientists have examined and tested the bones several times in order to establish they are authentic, most recently in 2015.

The church says the exhibition should give the faithful an “immediate, sensory experience” on the 800th anniversary of his death.

In Italy, where Francis of Assisi is revered, the celebrations are set to continue beyond March, with even Pope Leo XIV planning a visit to Assisi.