A long line of pilgrims and visitors waited patiently on Sunday to view the remains of Saint Francis of Assisi outside his namesake basilica in the central Italian town of Assisi.

First full public display in almost 800 years

For the first time in nearly eight centuries, the general public was able to see the remains of one of the Catholic Church's best-known saints.

The patron saint of Italy's remains have been resting in a stone sarcophagus for centuries. On Saturday, the coffin was ceremoniously transferred from the crypt to the lower church of the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi.

The display will last one month and end on March 22. According to the Franciscan Order, nearly 400,000 people from across the globe have registered to attend.

Apart from previous exhumations for inspection and scientific examination, Saint Francis' bones have only been displayed once, for a very limited group and for one day, in 1978.

Who was Saint Francis?

Francis of Assisi, born around 1181, founded the Franciscan Order after renouncing his wealth and devoting his life to helping the poor. After his death, the coffin was buried in a hidden location.

In 1818, Pope Pius VII granted the Franciscans permission to uncover the tomb. A new crypt was built for the sarcophagus in the lower church of the basilica.

In celebration of the 800th anniversary of his death, the saint's remains are on display in a plexiglas case near the altar of the lower church. Visitors are permitted to touch the outer case of the display.

Celebrations in Italy will continue after the display ends. October 4, which is the feast day of St Francis, has been reinstated as a public holiday.

Edited by: Kieran Burke