St. Francis Relics go on Public Display for First Time in Italy
Saint Francis of Assisi's mortal remains goes on public display for the first time for the 800th anniversary of his death, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Inside a nitrogen-filled plexiglass case with the Latin inscription "Corpus Sancti Francisci" (The Body of St Francis), the remains are being shown in the Italian hill town's Basilica of St Francis of Assisi.
St Francis, who died on 3 October 1226, founded the Franciscan order after renouncing his wealth and devoting his life to the poor.
Giulio Cesareo, director of communications for the Franciscan convent in Assisi said he hoped the display could be "a meaningful experience" for believers and non-believers alike. Cesareo, a Franciscan friar, said the "damaged" and "consumed" state of the bones showed that St Francis "gave himself completely" to his life's work.
His remains, which will be on display until 22 March, were transferred to the basilica built in the saint's honour in 1230.