Saint Francis’s remains to be displayed in 2000-year-old Vatican ritual

As part of the Catholic Church’s centuries-old tradition, the remains of a beloved saint will be removed from his tomb for the first time in 800 years and will be used to perform an ancient ritual.

In Italy, the saint’s bones will be honored through a process called veneration, a traditional form of reverence and respect given to saints. The ritual is nearly 2000 years old as per ancient texts.

It became a tradition to honor those who dedicated their lives to faith and sacrifice following the death of Saint Polycarp, who was burned alive and then stabbed for refusing to worship the Roman Emperor.

The bones of Saint Francis of Assisi will be put on display at the basilica bearing his name as a gesture of respect from February 22 to March 22, 2026.

The bones of Saint Francis are preserved in a controlled nitrogen environment to prevent decay and they will be moved in the crypt to be placed at the foot of the papal altar in the lower church of basilica.

The tomb of the beloved saint was first opened in 1818 and surprisingly the skeleton was remarkably intact.

This will mark the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis’s death and the event’s motto is “Saint Francis Lives”.

The official news outlet of the Vatican, Vatican News, stated, “It is a celebration of life that blossoms from the gift and offering to oneself.”