Saint Francis of Assisi’s skeleton goes on public display for first time
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Saint Francis of Assisi’s skeleton will be on full public display from Sunday until 22 March at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors globally.
- The remains, housed in a nitrogen-filled, transparent case with multiple protective layers, have only been publicly shown once before in 1978 for one day to a limited audience.
- The display is part of the 800th anniversary commemorations of Saint Francis’s death, with Italy reinstating a public holiday on 4 October in his honor.
- Authorities expect visitor numbers to surge significantly, from the usual 1,000-4,000 daily visitors to up to 19,000 on weekends during the display period, with international interest
