800-Year-Old Relic of St. Francis of Assisi Arrives in San Francisco
A bloodstained bandage from the 13th-century saint is on rare public display for the first time outside of Italy.
An 800-year-old bloodstained bandage belonging to St. Francis of Assisi has arrived in San Francisco for a rare public display, marking the first time the relic has left Italy. The cloth, encased in a silver reliquary, is believed to be stained with the blood of the saint from when he received the stigmata.
The relic is part of a collection of sacred items on display at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Assumption. Also featured is an Italo-Byzantine style painted panel that once covered St. Francis' tomb. This exhibition commemorates the 800-year anniversary of the saint's death, a jubilee year declared by Pope Leo XIV. Previously, remains of St. Francis were publicly displayed this year at the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, Italy, to mark the anniversary.
The display in San Francisco was organized with the assistance of the Knights of Saint Francis of Assisi, a Catholic lay organization. According to social media posts from the organization, these relics have not left Italy in eight centuries and are not expected to return soon.
In Catholic tradition, this item is classified as a "second class" relic, meaning it is an object that belonged to a saint, as opposed to direct remains, such as the kneecaps and ribs of St. Bernadette Soubirous, which are also touring the U.S. The tradition of venerating relics in the Catholic Church dates back to 156 A.D.
The exhibition will be open to the public through November 28. Among the other art pieces on display are a fresco portrait of St. Francis, a 15th-century painting of the saint, a painting of the Veil of St. Clare of Assisi, and Renaissance paintings by Dono Dori, among others.