Assisi, celebrations for Saint Francis begin with Mattarella

The festive ringing, at 11.59pm on 3 October, of the bells of the Basilica of Saint Francis announced in Assisi the start of the celebrations for the patron saint of Italy, on the eight hundredth anniversary of his death.

In which the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella will participate and will deliver the speech to the Nation from the Loggia of the Sacred Convent.

This year the guests of the festival are all the regions and not just one as per tradition. It is therefore Umbria that offers the oil for the lamp on the tomb of Saint Francis and the mayor of Assisi Valter Stoppini lights it.

In the meantime, around 3,000 people participated during the night in the "Walk with Saint Francis", the itinerary on foot from Santa Maria degli Angeli to the Basilica of Assisi, including songs and prayers, catechesis and historical re-enactments, which retraced the stages of the transport of Saint Francis' coffin in 1226, from the place of death to that of burial.