On Saturday, February 21, at 12:00PM, a press conference will be held in the Press Room of the Sacred Convent. At 4:00PM, the celebration of Vespers will take place, preceded by the transfer of the relics. Following the celebration, accredited journalists will have the opportunity to participate in an exclusive guided experience.
With a little less than one month to go until the first-ever public and extended exposition, 350,000 pilgrims from around the world have already booked their visit to Assisi to venerate the mortal remains of Saint Francis. The event will take place in the lower church of the Basilica between February 22 and March 22. The press conference to present the initiative will be held on Saturday, February 21, at 12:00PM in the Press Room of the Sacred Convent.
friar Marco Moroni, OFMConv, Custos of the Sacred Convent, and friar Giulio Cesareo, OFMConv, Director of the Sacred Convent’s Communications Office, will present one of the most significant and highly anticipated events to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis’ death. The presentation will be moderated by television host Lorena Bianchetti.
During the press conference, the collaboration between the Sacred Convent and Rai will be illustrated, in particular with the Rai1 program A Sua Immagine. For the occasion, the program will feature an extended special edition with a live broadcasting of the religious celebration. On Saturdays, since January 17, A Sua Immagine has already been airing a Franciscan focus from Assisi in the lead-up to the event in collaboration with friar Giulio and other friars from the Franciscan sanctuaries.
During the press conference, the February number of the magazine San Francesco Patrono d’Italia will also be officially unveiled. This special 160-page monographic edition is entirely dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi and will be available in both print and digital formats starting February 1, 2026. Designed as a true collector’s item, this unique issue stands out for both its content and craftsmanship. It features contributions from leading contemporary Franciscan scholars, a high-quality paperback binding, and a silk-screened cover image.
At 4:00PM on Saturday, February 21, the celebration will be attended exclusively by Franciscan friars. The service will be preceded by the transfer of the reliquary containing the mortal remains of Saint Francis from the crypt to the lower church with a procession that will conclude at the main altar.
Attendance at the celebration is by invitation only, but it will be broadcasted live on Rai1 as part of A Sua Immagine program. Commentary on the event, led by Lorena Bianchetti and special guests – among them the father Custos of the Sacred Convent himself friar Marco Moroni – will be exceptionally hosted from the Sixtus IV Cloister of the Sacred Convent.
The press conference will be streamed live on the YouTube channel @SanFrancescoAssisi. The link will only be available to accredited journalists, who will receive it according to the instructions below.
NOTE TO THE PRESS
On February 21, starting at approximately 5:30 PM, accredited journalists will have the opportunity to preview the full pilgrimage route—accompanied by the Press Office staff of the Sacred Convent. This includes access to both the Sacred Convent and the lower church, culminating in an exclusive moment in front of the mortal remains of Saint Francis.
To obtain accreditation, journalists must complete the form at the following link by no later than 5:00 PM on February 19: https://forms.gle/r7udc449yfUb6FKD8.
For security and event management reasons, accreditation requests submitted through other means or after the deadline will not be considered.
Press passes must be collected without exception before the press conference. Only journalists wearing the pass will be granted access to the Sacred Convent and the Basilica for the full day’s program. The Press Office facilities will be available to accredited journalists throughout February 21, starting at 9:00 AM. From there, they can also follow the live broadcast on RAI1 of the celebration of the translation and vespers from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
The accreditation will be valid for all events during the month of the exhibition of the Saint’s mortal remains. However, participation in individual events and/or the production of any reports inside the Basilica or near the pilgrims’ reception tent in the lower square must be booked separately to update the access pass.
Between February 22 and March 22, weekly 15-minute time slots will be available for journalists and crews to enter the Basilica for filming, accompanied by the Press Office staff of the Sacred Convent. These slots are scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Additionally, a press area near the reception tent will be available for interviews with pilgrims preparing to enter the Basilica for veneration.
To respect the pilgrims and allow them to fully experience the veneration, interviews inside the Basilica are not permitted. Furthermore, bulky equipment, additional lighting beyond what is already provided, and the use of drones are prohibited both inside the Basilica and in the press area near the tent. Bookings can only be made through the section dedicated to accredited press on the website sanfrancescovive.org, with a maximum availability of 15 minutes per crew.
Accredited journalists attending the February 21 press conference will receive an email with a link to book the time slots for filming. Using the same system, they can also book their professional participation in the aforementioned events and/or others that will be announced progressively.
Journalists unable to travel to Assisi and attend the press conference in person can still obtain accreditation and receive a link to follow the event remotely.
MEDIA PRESS KIT: https://bit.ly/MEDIA_PRESS_KIT
