St Francis of Assisi – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

A statue of St Francis in front of the Basilica dei Santi Cosma e Damiano in Rome. Giuseppe Barletta / Shutterstock

February 20, 2026

Bones of St Francis of Assisi go on display for the first time – here’s why it took 800 years

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are expected to pay homage to the remains of the 11th-century saint famous for his love of the natural world.

Carlo Acutis souvenirs displayed in a shop window in Assisi in June 2024. Michael Di Giovine

August 22, 2024

Italian teenager Carlo Acutis’ upcoming canonization reflects the Vatican’s desire to appeal to a new generation of Catholics

Michael A. Di Giovine, West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Italian priest Padre Pio was one of the world’s most prayed-to saints in recent times. As Pio’s generation ages, the Catholic Church is turning to Carlo Acutis to appeal to a new demographic.

Pope Francis meets with comedians at the Apostolic Palace on June 14, 2024, in Vatican City. Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Image

June 27, 2024

Pope Francis may have surprised many by inviting comedians to the Vatican, but the value of humor has deep roots in Catholic tradition

Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross

Catholic theologians and monastics have always encouraged humor, emphasizing its power to heal and bring cultures together.

A bison on its way in the Bialowieza forest in Poland. By Herr stahlhoefer - Own work, Public Domain,

May 2, 2017

Do passages in the Bible justify cutting down forests?

Matthew Hall, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

In countries that identify predominantly as Christian, scripture and its interpretations carry serious sociopolitical weight.

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