Basilica of Saint Francis hosts Feast on 4 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 02:37 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Basilica of Saint Francis (Basilica di San Francesco) hosts the Feast of Saint Francis in Assisi on 4 October 2026, with services, a procession and broadcasts from the complex. The programme marks the eighth centenary of the saint's death and gives visitors several ways to take part in Italy.
Feast of Saint Francis brings services to Assisi on 4 October
The programme began with bells at 11.59pm on 3 October and continued into 4 October with Masses in the lower church. The custodian, the Sacro Convento, lists services at 6am, 7am, 8am, 9.30am, 11am, 1pm, 5pm and 6.30pm. The 11am service is in English.
The central celebration is scheduled for 9.45am in the Upper Church, with the offering of oil and the lighting of the votive lamp for Italy's municipalities. The programme also includes solemn Vespers from 4pm, followed by a procession from the lower church to the forecourt of the Upper Church. The 4 October celebration programme also sets out streaming arrangements for the day.
The basilica's lower church and crypt shape the programme
The schedule uses two of the complex's best-known spaces: the lower church for the day's services and the Upper Church for the central celebration. The crypt containing the tomb of Saint Francis is open for visits on 4 October from 6am to 6.30pm, subject to available capacity.
The event connects the annual feast with the site's wider cultural significance. UNESCO describes Assisi as a medieval hill town associated with the birth and life of Saint Francis, whose basilica contains works linked to Cimabue, Pietro Lorenzetti, Simone Martini and Giotto. The property has been on the World Heritage List since 2000. The 4 October procession therefore moves through a living religious complex that is also recognised for its influence on European art and architecture.
Broadcasts extend the Feast of Saint Francis beyond Assisi
The Sacro Convento is streaming the 4 October programme, including services from the lower church, the procession and the evening Mass. The 11am English-language service is also scheduled for television transmission, giving visitors from Western Europe an alternative when they cannot enter the basilica.
Visiting Basilica of Saint Francis: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Feast of Saint Francis takes place at the basilica on 4 October 2026, with services, Vespers and a procession scheduled across the day.
- Masses in the lower church are open to visitors until capacity is reached. Access to the crypt and the tomb is listed from 6am to 6.30pm on 4 October, also subject to capacity.
- The complex is at Piazza San Francesco, 2, in Assisi, Italy. Assisi is in the Umbria region of central Italy.
- The site includes a lower church, an Upper Church and a crypt, so visitors should expect a religious complex with separate interior spaces and processional routes.
- Italian is the official language and the currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Basilica of Saint Francis
When does the Feast of Saint Francis take place at Basilica of Saint Francis?
The principal programme takes place on 4 October 2026, following the bells and midnight Mass on the night of 3 October 2026.
What is Basilica of Saint Francis?
It is a basilica in Assisi associated with Saint Francis and included in the UNESCO World Heritage property covering Assisi and other Franciscan sites.
Where is Basilica of Saint Francis and how do you get there?
It is at Piazza San Francesco, 2, in Assisi, in Italy's Umbria region.
