On Monday, April 6, 2026, the Conventual Franciscan Provincial Delegation in Paraguay, of the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow), was privileged to welcome a first-class relic “Ex cineribus corporis” of St. Francis of Assisi.
The relic made its first stop at the “Casa Anunciación” in the capital, Asunción, the friary where Friar Rogério PEREIRA XAVIER—Assistant General for the Federación América Latina Conventuales (FALC), who brought the relic from Italy—was staying.
In the afternoon, the friars of the Delegation and the faithful gathered for the solemn recitation of Evening Prayer, where the relic was venerated by all present. Next, it was prepared for transfer to the Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.
At the cathedral, many faithful came to welcome the relic, not only to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis, but also to honor those friars who, in 1607, led by Friar Luis DE BOLAÑOS, founded the city of Caazapá, a central place in the evangelization of the Guaraní people. At the end of the Jubilee year, the relic will be permanently enshrined in the San Pablo Cathedral in Caazapá. At the Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, hundreds of faithful attended a Mass of welcome presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Adalberto MARTÍNEZ FLORES, Archbishop of Asunción, Paraguay. There were other bishops present as well, along with priests, religious, and members of the entire Franciscan family of Paraguay.
At the beginning of the Mass, Friar Rogério explained the significance of the precious bodily remains of St, Francis and stated: “This relic of St. Francis comes directly from his tomb (…). [The remains are] part of the body of St. Francis and, at the initiative of the local bishops, the Saint’s remains will go on pilgrimage throughout the entire country.” The request to have the relic stems from a project entitled, “La Sandalia de Francisco – Siguiendo sus Huellas” (The Sandal of Francis – Following in His Footsteps), through which the Episcopal Conference of Paraguay intends to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of the founder of the Franciscan Order.
The Most Reverend Francisco Javier PISTILLI SCORZARA, Bishop of Encarnación, Paraguay, gave the homily during the Mass. He talked about how the Franciscan legacy is still relevant today in Paraguay. He mentioned that the Franciscan spirit has been present since Paraguay was first evangelized. During the procession of the urn, the symbolic participation of the youngest and the oldest friar of the Delegation reflected St. Francis’s universal message, which speaks to all generations. The bishop continued: “Francis is not coming to Paraguay for the first time; he has already been here. He was here long before, when the Franciscans first entered these lands and brought with them the Gospel and fraternity.”
At the end of the Mass, the relic continued on its pilgrimage, stopping next at the San Francisco de Asís Parish Church and Friary in Asunción, a presence of the Friars Minor. While there, it was displayed for veneration and was then transferred to the city of Caazapá. In this way, the Episcopal Conference of Paraguay is continuing to honor Paraguay’s deeply rooted Franciscan tradition, which dates back to the colonial era. It is worth noting that the Franciscan Order was a pioneer in evangelizing the Guarani people through the establishment of “reductions” or planned Catholic settlements, many of which still exist today.
This is how the relic of St. Francis of Assisi came to Paraguay, a land profoundly shaped by the Franciscan tradition. The relic will continue to journey through the dioceses and Franciscan friaries of Paraguay during the entire Jubilee year dedicated to St. Francis.
Friar Tomás Valerio ZEBALLO CABALLERO, Delegation in Paraguay
