Hundreds of pilgrims lined up before dawn on Sunday to be among the first to pray before the exposed relics of St Francis in his basilica in Assisi, Italy. Source: National Catholic Register.
The saint’s bones will lie in a glass box until March 22 – fully visible outside the stone tomb in a crypt where they usually rest – as hundreds of thousands of people venerate the holy remains.
A system using QR code reservations allowed about 750 people to enter the lower church of the basilica every 30 minutes to view the saint.
Filing past 13th-14th century frescoes by Cimabue and Giotto, pilgrims approached the glass case, protected by a plexiglass barrier.
Inside the basilica, where mobile phone use was forbidden, friars gently recalled the pilgrims to silent recollection when voices got above a whisper.
People knelt before St Francis, kissed the glass and left their written prayers in boxes shared by the Franciscans.
The public veneration of St Francis’ body has probably never happened before, the Franciscan friars who have organised the event told journalists the day before visits began.
The extraordinary viewing has been the most highly anticipated part of celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of the death of the poor friar in 1226.
As of Saturday, 370,000 people had reserved a time slot, and while 80 per cent of the registered pilgrims will travel from within Italy, the friars expect visitors from countries on five continents, including at least 5000 people from the United States.
Over 400 lay volunteers and many Franciscan friars living in Assisi – heirs to the religious order founded by St Francis – are involved in carrying out the ambitious project and related events throughout the month.
Assisi’s new Bishop, Felice Accrocca, who will be formally installed on March 25, said St Francis, in life, was barely 157 cm tall: “He wore dirty clothes and his face was not beautiful, yet God gave great power to his words.”
“Francis continues to speak. I hope that this month will help us to reflect on this,” Bishop Accrocca said.
FULL STORY
Praying before St Francis’ bones: Thousands convene in Assisi on first day of historic viewing (By Hannah Brockhaus, EWTN News via National Catholic Register)
