<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a resurrection of a centuries-old tradition, the bones of St Francis of Assisi are going on public display in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/italy" rel="" target="_blank" title="Italian"><span>Italian</span></a><span> town he's named for.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More than 400,000 people have pre-registered to view the relics, which will be on display for a month in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of Francis' death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The aim is to revive his message of peace and fraternity that made him one of the most beloved Christian saints and inspired Pope Francis to take his name - the first pope to do so.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>WORLD:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-says-us-sending-hospital-boat-to-greenland/7fa7e6ac-a649-4a7e-807e-4e3472f18439" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump offered to send Greenland a 'hospital boat'. The reply was blunt.</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The bones themselves are contained in a slim, bulletproof Plexiglas case in the lower Basilica of St Francis in the hilltop Umbrian town the medieval friar made famous.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Francis, born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, was born in 1181 in Assisi, Umbria.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A famed mystic, poet and eventual saint, he founded the Franciscan order, which exists to this day, and in his life became a famed and beloved wandering preacher.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/st-francis-bones-of-famed-italian-saint-on-display-for-pilgrimage-first-time-in-centuries/700443cd-06e9-4bbb-8657-d3a14be36c6a" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/i-felt-defamed-the-perth-mum-and-business-owner-cancelled-by-metas-ai/2d86f7fd-dc91-4c13-a8a4-411ac938cfac" target="_blank"><strong><span>'I felt defamed': Perth mum and business owner cancelled by Meta's AI</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was canonised less than two years after his death in 1226.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Since his death he has legendarily become known as a protector and lover of animals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His body was in fact lost for centuries after his death, after one of Francis' close followers, Elias, secretly buried the saint's remains in a basilica that was intended to house his tomb.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>ROYALS:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrest-photo-of-ex-prince-leaving-uk-police-station-hung-in-louvre/e10fdc79-6ce8-4e68-b84e-36a813a0e7ab" target="_blank"><strong><span>Now-infamous photo of ex-prince Andrew hung in the Louvre</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He feared plunderers might seek to steal Francis' body, such was the saint's reputation, and use it to bolster the status of a church of their choosing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was a fairly common medieval practice for invading armies to seize holy relics, or for unscrupulous merchants or religious leaders to swindle them away.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Relics, including the bones of saints, were often publicly displayed in churches and cathedrals and were objects of prayer for faithful Catholics.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/maralago-shooting-us-secret-service-shoots-man-at-donald-trumps-florida-residence/46f8705e-f4dd-4894-979f-de682908e330" target="_blank"><strong><span>Gunman shot dead at Mar-a-Lago identified as missing 21-year-old</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Thus, Francis' body remained buried anonymously under a column in a building that was meant to proclaim his holy glory and lure pilgrims - and their money - to Assisi.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The bones were discovered in 1818 during renovation works and Pope Pius VII declared them to belong to Francis.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>First pilgrims file in</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Security was tight but discreet yesterday morning local time as the first pilgrims passed through metal detectors before filing into the basilica.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police declined to provide details, but said extra officers, sniffer dogs, plain-clothed police, television cameras and other measures were being used to protect the relics. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>OLYMPICS:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/sport/olympics/milano-cortina-2026-closing-ceremony-opera-ballet-dancing-video-beauty-in-action-20260223-p5o4it.html" target="_blank"><strong><span>Italy passes baton to France after 'magical' Games</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some people signed up to visit the relics when the exposition was first announced in October, and they were slotted into 10-minute increments starting that morning.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Silvanella Tamos travelled to Assisi from Pordenone, north of Venice, with a group of 54 people from her diocese. They had had one of the earliest slots Sunday, at 9.30am.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a body that's alive," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's not a dead body. He still has a lot to tell us today."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The bones show the disease and ill-health Francis suffered through his life, and confirmed the saint's small physical stature - one dwarfed entirely by his contemporary and posthumous legend.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>With Associated Press.</span></em><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>