The bones of St. Francis are going on public display

[noumoe]

The bones of St. Francis of Assisi, the medieval friar who inspired Pope Francis and generations of Christians before him, are going on public display for the first time, giving his hilltop Umbrian hometown yet another reason to welcome pilgrims.

That’s a mixed blessing for Assisi Mayor Valter Stoppini, residents and the Franciscan friars who are organizing the monthlong display of relics to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death this year.

A small army of 400 volunteers have been recruited to herd them through the medieval city’s cobblestone streets and into the lower Basilica of St. Francis to view the bones, which are held in a bulletproof glass box.

That will put enormous strain on the city’s center, with its narrow souvenir-lined streets and limited services. But it will also test the patience of Assisi’s residents, who are no stranger to mass influxes of pilgrims, but usually just for limited celebrations.

https://apnews.com/article/italy-st-fra ... 36e20bffd6