St. Francis Assisi Relic Medal Franciscan Pendant Charm Medalla Medallion

History of the tomb of Saint Francis

The remains of St. Francis were solemnly transported to the new church on 25 May 1230. Pope Innocent IV consecrated the basilica on 25 May 1253. Pope Benedict XIV declared the church a Patriarchal Basilica and Papal Chapel on 25 March 1754 with the Constitution “Fidelis Dominus”. Pius VII, on 12 September 1818, gave permission to the Minister General of the Friars Minor Conventuals to proceed with the excavations underneath the main altar of the lower basilica in order to find the tomb of St. Francis, which had been concealed by Brother Elias and then by Pope Eugene IV in 1476.

The tomb came to light on 8 December 1818, and on 12 December the remains of St. Francis were exhumed. In order to facilitate the visits of the growing number of pilgrims to the tomb, a new neo-romanic crypt was opened underneath the lower basilica. On 18 June 1939 Pope Pius XII declared St. Francis patron saint of Italy. A votive lamp with oil donated by the various regions of the Italian peninsula burns on the tomb. On 18 January 1978 Pope Paul VI authorized the Minister General of the Friars Minor Conventuals to proceed with the reopening of the tomb and scientific study of the remains of St. Francis. This took place between 24 January and 4 March 1978.