800-year-old bloody relic of St. Francis leaves Italy for first time in rare San Francisco display

Ancient relics including an 800-year-old bloodstained bandage of St. Francis of Assisi have arrived in San Francisco for an ultra-rare public display.

Two sacred Catholic relics — including a cloth stained with the blood of the 13th century saint and an Italo-Byzantine style painted panel that once covered his tomb — are now on display at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Assumption after leaving Italy for the first time.

The bloody cloth, encased in a silver reliquary, is linked to one of the most famous mystical encounters recognized by Catholics.

After 40 days of fasting, St. Francis of Assisi — the Italian friar, animal lover and patron saint of San Francisco — is believed to have received the holy stigmata, or spontaneous bleeding representing the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ, on La Verna in Italy, using the crude bandage to stanch the blood.

Rarely seen remains of the beloved friar were publicly displayed this year at the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, Italy to mark the 800-year anniversary of the saint’s death, a special jubilee year declared by Pope Leo XIV.

The San Francisco display was organized with the help of the Knights of Saint Francis of Assisi, a Catholic lay organization founded by attorney and former politician Angela Alioto, to celebrate the jubilee year of their namesake saint.

“Again, these relics have not left italy in 800 years, and they won’t be back anytime soon. So please do the best you can and getting over to see this incredible little museo,” Alioto wrote on social media.

It’s considered a “second class” in the Catholic Church, or an item belonging to a saint— as opposed to direct remains, like the fragmented kneecaps and ribs of St. Bernadette Soubirous that are also touring the US this year.

The Catholic tradition of venerating relics dates back to 156 A.D.

The other relic is a full-length image of Saint Francis is traditionally attributed to Italian painter Cenni di Pepo, and features a golden rendering of the famed saint.

In the image, Francis stands in the simple brown habit of the Friars Minor with a golden halo, a book, and the stigmata wounds.

Additional art pieces on display include Painting of the Veil of St. Clare of Assisi; Renaissance paintings by Dono Dori, The Stigmata of St. Francis and Crucifixion of St. Francis of Assisi; St. Francis Watched Over by the Angels by an anonymous 17th century painter; and St. Francis by Adamo di Cladaro.

The relics will be on display through Nov. 28.

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