The bones of St. Francis of Assisi are set to be displayed publicly in Assisi for the first time, turning the medieval hilltop town into the center of a monthlong pilgrimage season that officials say is both a spiritual opportunity and a logistical challenge. The exhibit will run as part of commemorations for the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death, with the relics scheduled to return to their tomb on March 22.
Assisi Mayor Valter Stoppini described the expected crowds as a “mixed blessing” for residents and for the Franciscan friars organizing the exhibition. He said nearly 400,000 people have already registered to pray before the relics, and he estimated the figure could reach a half-million before the bones are put back in their tomb.
To manage the flow of visitors, the city has recruited 400 volunteers to herd pilgrims through Assisi’s cobblestone streets and into the lower Basilica of St. Francis, where the relics will be displayed in a bulletproof glass box. Organizers and officials said the arrangement will place “enormous strain” on the city’s center, given its narrow souvenir-lined streets and limited services, even though the town is used to welcoming large numbers of pilgrims.
Stoppini said the duration of this event is what worries residents most. “We’re used to this kind of event, but that lasts for one, two or three days,” he said, adding that a monthlong display has him “a bit worried, but calm.” He said the monthlong exhibition was the maximum he could ask of Assisi’s residents given the strain from a massive influx of pilgrims in 2025.
The display is intended to do more than accommodate visiting crowds, officials said. They described taking the remains out of the crypt and making them accessible as a way to keep St. Francis’ message alive and give Christians a chance to pray before them, emphasizing the saint’s teachings on peace, love of creation, and attention to the poor—teachings that inspired Pope Francis, the first pope to choose his papal name after St. Francis. The report said that while the remains have been periodically inspected by Franciscan friars over the years to ensure their conservation, this is the first time they will be shown publicly.
St. Francis is also remembered through the architecture and art tied to his tomb, including the basilica decorated with Giotto frescoes illustrating the saint’s life. The report said Assisi’s standing as a pilgrimage destination is reinforced by millions of visitors who come each year because of the presence of the saint’s tomb and the basilica, which rises over it.
Assisi’s religious tourism is also being pulled in by a newer pilgrimage magnet: Carlo Acutis. The teen, who died at age 15 of leukemia and was canonized last year by Pope Leo XIV as the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint, is buried in a different Assisi basilica, but Brother Marco Moroni, the custodian of the convent of St. Francis, said Acutis’ popularity—especially among young Latin Americans—has turned the town into a destination for Catholic youth groups. “When we go out onto the piazza, we find many people who ask us ‘Where’s Carlo? Where’s Carlo?’” Moroni said.
The report said Brother Marco Moroni tied the connection between St. Francis and Acutis to a reinforcing pattern of visits: “Many who come to the basilica go to see Carlo, and many who go to Carlo Acutis come to the basilica,” which he said does create some problems for the city. He also said last year saw a 30% increase in the number of pilgrims, attributing that likely to both Acutis’ canonization and the Holy Year, which brought about 33 million pilgrims to Rome and helped many travel onward to Assisi.
For some in Assisi, the pressure from religious tourism is offset by the economic dependence on visitors. Shopkeeper Arianna Catarinelli, who works in a souvenir shop on the main drag leading to the basilica, said the display and the broader flow of pilgrims mean “Other people will see what we see every day,” adding that St. Francis’ spirit imbues the town. She said her shop sells items such as sweatshirts, pens featuring Acutis’ photo, St. Francis-themed coffee mugs and neon rosaries, and she said: “For residents, finding parking isn’t easy. But for businesses, I think it’s positive that there are so many people.”
The city has taken steps to cope with the crowds, including creating new parking lots outside the city center and running a shuttle service to bring people into town. Assisi resident Riccardo Bacconi, who works in a local bank branch, said he hoped those parking additions would be a legacy of the exposition that continues to make life easier for locals, while acknowledging that living in a tourist-dependent town means enduring some inconvenience.
Bacconi said he does not view the influx negatively. “I don’t judge it negatively, economically it’s important,” he said. “There are more advantages than disadvantages.”