After welcoming more than 370,000 visitors since its opening on February 22, the public veneration of St. Francis of Assisi’s mortal remains came to a close on March 22.
Vatican News
Sunday, March 22, marked the end of the public veneration of St. Francis’ remains, exposed for a month in the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.
This was the first time his relics were displayed and more than 370,000 pilgrims from all over the world came to see them. The public veneration was part of several events scheduled this year to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Saint’s death.
Cardinal Zuppi: let us listen to message of peace
To conclude the month, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, celebrated Mass in the Upper Church of the Basilica.
In his homily, he highlighted this current time period marked by individualism and conflict, in which “the tragic illusion is to fight evil with evil.” He said Christians are called to an “unarmed strength” born of the Resurrection, which opposes death and everything that leads to it.
“In this season that exalts force,” the Cardinal urged, “let us listen to the message of peace. How much fear and violence would already be disarmed if we simply said, with our faces and our words, ‘peace be with you.’”
Building the true path to peace
Cardinal Zuppi then highlighted the heart of the Christian message. “It is not force that rules the world,” he said, “because love is the only one that can change it.”
Referring to St. Francis, Cardinal Zuppi emphasized his universal relevance. “He does not belong to one people but to everyone” and he teaches “a love capable of recognizing every person as a brother.”
“It is a humble love,” he continued, “that does not give up and brings the world back to life, to the point of disarming death.”
In a world “afflicted by conflicts and divisions,” he invited everyone to become “builders of peace, disarmed and disarming witnesses,” “building bridges where walls are raised and rediscovering in the Gospel the path of dialogue as the only true defense of peace.”
St. Francis’ relics: a great consolation
The experience of the public veneration itself was “a great consolation” for the thousands of pilgrims who came to Assisi, the Cardinal emphasized.
Before St. Francis’ remains many rediscovered “strength” and a concrete sense of God’s presence in daily life,” he added. Holiness “is not perfection but the reflection of God’s love in the poverty of our lives.”
We have become “a fraternity gathered around Francis,” said Fr. Marco Moroni, Custos of the Sacred Convent, referring to the flow of faithful who came to venerate the remains.
“A fraternity of 370,000 people gathered here and many others throughout the world. A composed and prayerful fraternity that sought to encounter, in the sign of poor and fragile bones, the full power of a life animated by the Spirit, which continues to bear fruit.”
Fr. Moroni thanked all those who collaborated, organized and participated in this event, which he said exceeded his expectations.
St. Francis called us to him
Fr. Giulio Cesareo, Director of Communications of the Sacred Convent, added: “Many asked me whether I expected such a large turnout, and I must say yes: I had no doubt that so many would come to encounter Francis.”
“What I did not expect was the collected and joyful way the pilgrimage unfolded: silence, patience, phones put away… and yet there are the remains of Francis and Giotto’s frescoes,” he continued. “The only explanation is that none of us came to see Francis—rather, he, alive, called us to speak to our hearts and minds.”
Fr. Cesareo also thanked all the journalists and communications workers who collaborated with the Sacred Convent and contributed to sharing information on this event.
A breath of newness
This month of veneration was a time of renewal and meaningful encounters centered on the figure of St. Francis. The community of friars, for example, welcomed brothers from Italy and from countries such as Brazil, the United States, Tanzania, India, Korea, and the Middle East.
The event also led to the creation of a music video to accompany the hymn of the public veneration, “Su questo colle” (“On this hill”).
Additionally, significant renovations were carried out in the Sacred Convent complex in order to remove architectural barriers and make the visit to the relics fully accessible to everyone.
This focus on inclusivity reflects St. Francis’ spirit, as he began his journey of conversion by reaching out to the most vulnerable and marginalized.
A journey that continues
In the evening, after the last pilgrims had passed through, the Saint’s remains were placed back in the crypt of the Basilica in a private event only attended by the friars and which marked the end of the public veneration.
Nonetheless, the theme “St. Francis Lives” will continue throughout 2026. It will accompany all the initiatives marking the 800th anniversary of the Saint’s death, highlighting the enduring vitality of his message and his ability to speak to all.
