Great veneration of relics in honor of Saint Francis has begun in Assisi
Hundreds of thousands of Catholic pilgrims commemorate his life of poverty, peace, and radical discipleship of Christ on the 800th anniversary of his death.
In the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, the first-ever public veneration of the relics of Saint Francis has begun. In a festive service, the relics were brought from the crypt to the main altar, where they will remain on display for the faithful until March 22. About 400,000 pilgrims from around the world have already confirmed their participation. This was reported by Kathpress. The occasion for the celebrations is the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis, who is venerated worldwide for his lifestyle of poverty and humility as well as his peacemaking work. In his sermon, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime emphasized that the relics represented far more than mere historical testimony. Rather, they are a spiritual call to reflect on the essentials of faith and to decisively put the Gospel into action.
The public veneration of the relics is intended to give the faithful impulses for inner renewal and to demonstrate the continuing significance of the Franciscan way of life. A heavy influx of pilgrims is expected for the coming weeks, which is likely to increase further during the jubilee year. Pope Leo XIV has also announced a visit to Assisi.
Previously, UOJ reported that massive emigration weakened the Christian presence in Syria.
