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The central Italian town of Assisi is hosting hundreds of thousands of visitors following the public unveiling of St. Francis of Assisi’s remains. The exhibition, which commemorates the 800th anniversary of the patron saint’s death, is being held in the lower church of his namesake Basilica. Officials confirmed that 400,000 people have already secured places to view the 13th-century skeleton.
His remains have only been seen in public once before - for a single day in 1978 to a very limited group of people.
St Francis is one of the most venerated figures in Christianity and was born in the Italian city of Assisi in 1181 or 1182.
He renounced his wealth and devoted his life to the poor, founding the order of the Franciscans. He is also the patron saint of animals and the environment.
The late Pope Francis, who died last year after leading the Roman Catholic Church for more than a decade, chose his name and modelled his papacy after the radical humility of Saint Francis.
His bones will be on display until 22 March.
The Feast of St Francis is celebrated annually on 4 October to mark the day of his death in 1226.
