Tomb of Saint Francis of Assisi to be unsealed for Christian ritual

"St Francis' bones rest inside a sealed glass urn beneath the Basilica, preserved in a controlled nitrogen atmosphere to prevent decay. What remains are aged, yellowed skeletal fragments, the long, fragile bones of the arms and legs, the curved line of ribs, and pieces of the skull, arranged reverently within a protective casing. When his tomb was first opened in 1818, witnesses described the skeleton as remarkably intact for its age, wrapped in remnants of a coarse woolen habit,"

"The remains of a beloved saint are set to be removed from his tomb and put on display for the first time in 800 years as part of an ancient Catholic ritual. The bones of Saint Francis of Assisi will be showcased at the basilica bearing his name in Italy from February 22 to March 22, 2026, for veneration, a traditional form of reverence and respect given to saints."

Saint Francis of Assisi's skeletal remains will be removed from the crypt and placed at the foot of the papal altar in the lower church of the basilica for veneration from February 22 to March 22, 2026. The bones are housed in a sealed glass urn beneath the basilica in a nitrogen atmosphere to prevent decay. Remaining fragments include long arm and leg bones, ribs, and pieces of the skull, arranged within a protective casing. Witnesses to the 1818 opening of the tomb reported a remarkably intact skeleton wrapped in remnants of a coarse woolen habit. Veneration of relics traces to early Christian responses to martyrdom such as Saint Polycarp.

Read at Mail Online