The body of the saint, founder of the Franciscan order, who renounced his wealth and dedicated his life to the poor, was taken to the basilica built in his honor in 1230
Since Sunday (22) thousands of pilgrims have visited the remains of Saint Francis of Assisi, in Italy, exposed to the public for the first time on the 800th anniversary of his death. “Corpus Sancti Francisci”: an inscription in Latin on the acrylic window reminds visitors who owns the skeleton of the saint who died in 1226, whose relics will be on display until March 22, in front of the altar of the lower church of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi.
A long line of pilgrims waited outside the temple, which opened its doors at 7:00 am (local time). Around 400,000 people have already reserved a place. Nicoletta Benolli, 65, traveled from Verona to view the remains and said, emotionally, that it was a “unique” event.
“At a time like this, we have the truth before our eyes”, he summarized. An initiative that “can be a significant experience for both believers and non-believers, as Francis testifies, with these bones so damaged, so consumed, that he gave himself completely”, explained Friar Giulio Cesáreo, director of communications at the Franciscan convent of Assisi.
Remains of San Francisco were found in 1818
The body of the saint, founder of the Franciscan order, who renounced his wealth and dedicated his life to the poor, was taken to the basilica built in his honor in 1230. But it was only in 1818, at the end of excavations carried out with the utmost discretion, that his tomb was discovered.
Usually hidden, the transparent reliquary that has contained the remains of Saint Francis since 1978 was removed on Saturday morning from the metal vault where it rested in his stone tomb in the basilica’s crypt.
The small skeleton, whose skull was damaged during its transfer to the basilica in the 13th century, rests on a white silk cloth. Saint Francis’ bones have been displayed only once before, in 1978, to a limited number of people and for a single day.
“What is truly beautiful, and was not initially planned, is the fact that a bulletproof and burglar-proof glass reliquary, completely transparent, will cover Francisco’s body, allowing us not only to see, but also to touch this reliquary”, added Friar Cesáreo.
In addition to the glass structure that covers the acrylic structure, there will be 24-hour surveillance cameras to ensure the safety of the skeleton, which is expected to receive 15,000 visitors per day during the week and up to 19,000 on Saturdays and Sundays.
*With AFP
