Overview
- Vatican News and the Franciscan friary announced the remains will be moved from the crypt to the lower church’s papal altar for public veneration from February 22 to March 22, 2026.
- The exposition is tied to the near-800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death under the motto “Saint Francis Lives.”
- Officials expect a large influx of pilgrims and are requiring free online reservations to access the veneration route.
- Accessible paths are being arranged for visitors with disabilities, and each participant will receive a small gift at the end of the liturgical stop.
- Secondary reports describe the relics as housed in a sealed glass urn with controlled preservation conditions, and note the tomb’s rediscovery in 1818 after centuries in concealment.