00:00Assisi is alive with the sound of pilgrimage.
00:03400 volunteers have been recruited to manage the massive crowds,
00:07all arriving to catch a rare glimpse of the man who changed the church.
00:12Born into wealth in 1182, St. Francis famously renounced his inheritance
00:17to live as a mendicant friar, a legacy of peace that continues to inspire millions,
00:22including the late Pope Francis, who took his name.
00:26We're expecting around 400,000 people.
00:29It's a really big challenge.
00:31About 80% of the people should be Italian,
00:33and the rest should be from all over the world.
00:38While the saint's remains have been periodically examined,
00:41they have been hidden from public view since 1978.
00:45Now, the small skeleton rests on a white silk sheet
00:49inside a transparent nitrogen-filled plexiglass case.
00:53This high-tech sanctuary preserves the 13th-century remains
00:57while allowing the world to look inside.
01:02Our theme is that St. Francis lives because his death is not the end,
01:07but for us believers, at least, it's tied to Jesus,
01:10and in some way, it's a life that continues after death.
01:17Security is tight, with surveillance cameras operating at 24 hours a day
01:22to protect the priceless relics.
01:24Yet, inside the basilica, the atmosphere remains one of quiet contemplation.
01:30Subdue lighting ensures the preservation of the bones,
01:33creating a space where the faithful can pray before a saint
01:36whose message of peace feels more relevant today than ever.
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