ASSISI -- Bells rang out over the hilltop town of Assisi on the night of March 22 as Franciscan friars closed the monthlong public veneration of the bones of St. Francis of Assisi, which drew more than 370,000 pilgrims from around the world to pray before the beloved saint.
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, who is president of the Italian bishops' conference, presided over the closing Mass in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.
"In these extraordinary days, we have experienced moments of profound communion, during which countless men and women have been able to encounter the spirit of St. Francis, finding in him an inexhaustible source of light and hope in such a difficult time for our world," Cardinal Zuppi said in his homily.
"St. Francis takes us by the hand and helps us to look at reality with authentically Christian eyes."
The veneration, which ran from Feb. 22 to March 22, marked the first time in 800 years that the mortal remains of St. Francis had been exposed for an extended public display. It is part of the Catholic Church's yearlong observance of the 800th anniversary of the saint's death in 1226.
Following the Mass, Franciscan friars gathered for a final period of prayer with the relics before they were carried in procession from the basilica's Lower Church to the crypt. Before midnight, the saint's remains were sealed inside a gilded bronze urn along with the documentation required by canon law and placed inside the stone sarcophagus in the crypt of the basilica, where pilgrims can always pray in close proximity to the relics of the saint.
According to statistics released by the basilica, more than 5,000 of the American pilgrims and nearly 4,000 from Poland were able to venerate the relics, along with pilgrims from more than 40 other countries, including 99 pilgrims from China and 9 from Iran.
The Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy, is seen in an undated photo. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
Pilgrims wait in line to venerate the relics of St. Francis outside the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy during a historic, monthlong public veneration, which ran from Feb. 22 to March 22, 2026. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
Pilgrims wait in line to venerate the relics of St. Francis in the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi during a historic, monthlong public veneration, which ran from Feb. 22 to March 22, 2026. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
Pilgrims wait in line to venerate the relics of St. Francis in the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi during a historic, monthlong public veneration, which ran from Feb. 22 to March 22, 2026. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
The Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy is seen after the monthlong public veneration of the bones of St. Francis concluded March 22, 2026. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
The tomb of St. Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy, is seen as it is accessible to pilgrims year-round. On March 22, 2026, after a monthlong public veneration of the saint's bones,Franciscan friars sealed the saint's mortal remains in a gilded bronze urn, which was placed inside the stone sarcophagus in the basilica crypt, where the faithful can pray in close proximity to his relics. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
Franciscan friars kneel in prayer during the final moment of veneration of the relics of St. Francis of Assisi on March 22, 2026, in the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
The bones of St. Francis of Assisi are exposed for public veneration in the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi March 22, 2026, the last day of a historic monthlong period for public veneration. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
Franciscan friars carry the mortal remains of St. Francis of Assisi in procession from the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy to the basilica's crypt after a monthlong period of public veneration ended March 22, 2026. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
Franciscan friars carry the mortal remains of St. Francis of Assisi in procession from the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy to the basilica's crypt after a monthlong period of public veneration ended March 22, 2026. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
Franciscan friars gather for a final moment of prayer with the relics of St. Francis of Assisi on the evening of March 22, 2026, before his mortal remains were carried in procession from the Lower Church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi to the crypt, ending a monthlong public veneration of the relics. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, Italy, who is president of the Italian bishops' conference, presides over the closing Mass of a monthlong public veneration of St. Francis' remains in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi March 22, 2026. (OSV News photo/courtesy Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
