For the first time, the skeletal remains of St. Francis of Assisi have been placed on public view in Assisi, Italy, as part of a monthlong exhibition marking the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. The display, organized by Franciscan friars and municipal authorities, opened to tens of thousands of registered visitors and is expected to draw many more before the relics are returned to their tomb on March 22. Local officials report nearly 400,000 people have already registered to pray before the bones, and city leaders say the influx is both an economic boon and a logistical strain on the medieval hilltop town. Volunteers, security measures and temporary parking and shuttle services have been mobilized to manage crowds moving through narrow, souvenir-lined streets toward the lower Basilica of St. Francis.
Key Takeaways
- Nearly 400,000 pilgrims have registered to view St. Francis’ remains; authorities estimate registrations could approach 500,000 before March 22.
- The monthlong exhibition is timed for the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death and marks the first public display of his bones.
- About 400 volunteers have been enlisted to shepherd pilgrims through Assisi’s historic center into the lower basilica.
- The relics are exhibited in a bulletproof glass reliquary to balance access and conservation concerns.
- Assisi recorded a roughly 30% increase in pilgrims last year, a rise officials link to both the canonization of Carlo Acutis and a recent Holy Year that drew an estimated 33 million pilgrims to Rome.
- City hall added parking lots outside the historic core and instituted shuttle services to ease circulation and reduce congestion in the medieval center.
- Local businesses say the visitation surge is vital to the town’s economy, while some residents express concern about prolonged strain on services and daily life.
Background
Assisi, perched on a pink-tinged limestone hill in Umbria, is one of Christianity’s most frequented pilgrimage sites, anchored by the tomb and basilica of St. Francis. The Basilica of St. Francis, famed for Giotto’s frescoes depicting the saint’s life, has long been a focal point for devotion and art-tourism alike. Born in 1182 into a wealthy family, Francis renounced material privilege and founded a mendicant order that emphasized poverty, care for the poor and love of creation — themes that resonate with millions of faithful and that notably inspired Pope Francis.
Although the Franciscan friars have periodically inspected the saint’s remains for conservation, the decision to place the bones on public display is unprecedented in scale and duration. Officials describe the exhibition as a devotional opportunity intended to renew engagement with Franciscan teachings during the 800th anniversary observances. At the same time, Assisi’s medieval urban fabric — narrow lanes, steep steps and a compact historic center — poses practical limits on how many visitors the town can absorb without disrupting daily life.
Main Event
The bones were removed from the crypt and installed in a bulletproof glass case within the lower Basilica of St. Francis, where a controlled, scheduled flow of pilgrims can approach for prayer. Organizers say the monthlong schedule provides broad access while allowing conservation staff to monitor conditions closely. Mayor Valter Stoppini and the Franciscan custodians coordinated security, volunteer deployment and logistics planning to handle continuous visitation over several weeks rather than a single feast day.
Officials emphasize crowd management protocols: timed entry, marshals guiding groups through the cobbled streets, and information points for visitors unfamiliar with the site. The registered numbers — nearly 400,000 at the last count — already exceed normal peaks for typical local festivals and will test public transport links and amenities. City services have been bolstered with temporary parking outside the historic core and shuttle buses to move visitors into Assisi while trying to preserve the pedestrian character of the town center.
Local merchants welcome the increased foot traffic, noting that religious tourism underpins many livelihoods in Assisi. Souvenir shops, cafés and tour operators expect a meaningful revenue uplift from monthlong visitation. But residents and municipal staff caution that extended crowds create sustained pressure on waste collection, public toilets and emergency access, challenges that short, intense events have not previously posed to the same degree.
Analysis & Implications
The public exhibition of a major saint’s relics carries layered significance: devotional, cultural and economic. Devotionally, the display offers pilgrims a moment of direct contact with a foundational figure in Western Christianity and a tangible focus for prayer on themes such as poverty and care for creation. Culturally, the event spotlights Assisi’s artistic and architectural heritage, potentially broadening the town’s appeal beyond strictly religious tourism to those interested in medieval art and history.
Economically, a sustained spike in visitors can provide a substantial short-term boost to local businesses, which depend heavily on tourism. City revenues from parking, hospitality and retail will likely rise, but so will costs tied to crowd management and infrastructure wear. Municipal leaders face a trade-off: maximize immediate economic gain while investing in durable upgrades — such as more parking and better transit links — that could ease future pressures.
Politically and socially, the monthlong exhibition may prompt debates about carrying capacity and quality of life for residents. Assisi’s authorities must balance the priorities of hospitality, conservation and resident well-being, and this event could accelerate longer-term planning for mass pilgrimage management. Internationally, the display reinforces Assisi’s role in transnational Catholic devotion, attracting pilgrims from Latin America, Europe and beyond and linking local dynamics to broader patterns in global pilgrimage flows.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Registered viewers (to date) | ~400,000 |
| Projected peak visitors | ~500,000 (estimate) |
| Volunteers deployed | 400 |
| Reported rise in pilgrims last year | ~30% |
| Pilgrims to Rome (Holy Year) | ~33 million |
The table summarizes the key numerical indicators cited by municipal and Franciscan officials. While registrations provide a baseline for planning, actual footfall on any given day can vary; volunteer numbers and temporary transport options are calibrated to anticipated peaks. The 30% year-on-year rise is attributable in local statements to multiple causes, including the heightened interest following the canonization of Carlo Acutis and spillover from the recent Holy Year in Rome.
Reactions & Quotes
Officials, clerics and residents offered a mix of welcome and caution as the exhibition opened.
“We’re used to these kinds of events, but they usually last one, two or three days. This is something prolonged, for a month, so I’m a bit worried, but calm.”
Valter Stoppini, Mayor of Assisi
Mayor Stoppini framed the monthlong display as an extraordinary but manageable imposition, stressing that the duration was the maximum the town could accommodate without severe disruption. His office has overseen the deployment of volunteers and temporary services to limit impacts on resident life.
“Many who come to the basilica go to see Carlo, and many who go to Carlo Acutis come to the basilica, creating an osmosis and a growing movement.”
Brother Marco Moroni, Convent Custodian
Brother Moroni described how the recent interest in Carlo Acutis — a youthful figure drawing especially younger pilgrims — has complemented devotion to St. Francis and intensified overall visitation. The interplay between the two pilgrimage sites in Assisi is reshaping visitor demographics.
“For businesses, I think it’s positive that there are so many people. Other people will see what we see every day.”
Arianna Catarinelli, souvenir shop owner
Catarinelli and other merchants emphasized the economic lifeline provided by pilgrimage traffic, noting that expanded visitation supports shops, hospitality and local employment even as it complicates parking and residential routines.
Unconfirmed
- The projection that registrations will reach one-half million by March 22 is an official estimate and has not been independently verified by a third-party count.
- Attributions of the entire 30% increase in pilgrims last year to Carlo Acutis’ canonization and the Holy Year are plausible but not confirmed by a detailed visitor-origin analysis.
- The article’s wording that Carlo Acutis was “canonized last year by Pope Leo XIV” appears in original reporting and should be verified against Vatican records for exact papal attribution and date.
Bottom Line
The public exhibition of St. Francis’ bones is a landmark devotional and cultural event that crystallizes Assisi’s role as a global pilgrimage center. It offers a rare opportunity for believers to engage directly with a foundational Christian figure while shining an international spotlight on the town’s artistic and religious heritage. Yet the week-to-week reality of sustained crowds poses logistical and social challenges: medieval streets, limited services and resident needs require careful management and likely investment in longer-term infrastructure.
For policymakers and custodians, the episode underscores a broader question facing many religious destinations: how to welcome devotion at scale without sacrificing conservation or community life. If Assisi can translate short-term organization into enduring improvements — more parking outside the core, reliable shuttle links and clearer crowd protocols — the exhibition may leave a legacy that eases future pilgrimage flows and helps distribute tourism benefits more evenly.
Sources
- Associated Press (news agency) — original report on the Assisi exhibition and local reactions.