Just two days before Clare of Assisi died, Pope Innocent IV’s papal bull, Solet annuere, written August 9, 1253, confirmed that Clare’s rule would serve as the governing rule for her community of Poor Ladies at San Damiano. Two days later, Clare died at the age of 59. Her remains were interred at the chapel of San Giorgio (where St. Francis’s remains had initially lain) while an adjacent basilica to hold her relics was being constructed. On August 15, 1255, Pope Alexander IV canonized Clare as Saint Clare of Assisi. Construction of a Basilica to honor her memory and contain her remains was completed in 1260, and on October 3 of that year Clare's remains were transferred to the newly completed basilica where they were buried beneath the high altar. For roughly six centuries, the body of St. Clare lay buried deep under the high altar of her basilica. Following the excavations and findings of St. Francis’s remains, in 1850, Pope Pius IX granted permission that excavations be made to search for the body of Clare. Thus, after seven days the stone coffin containing her body was found. When it was opened, it was discovered that St. Clare’s body, though blackened with age, was still incorrupt. She was buried with her poor tunic in addition to the rule that she had written. Her remains were put into a crystal coffin, which was placed in a newly constructed crypt (completed in 1872) within the basilica. The feast of the Finding of the Body of St. Clare, which was instituted by Pope Pius IX, is celebrated by the Franciscans and Conventuals, as well as the Poor Clares. In time, Saint Clare's remains began to deteriorate; thus, a mask was constructed to cover her remains, which were soon reduced to bones. The mask can be seen by the public today, while her actual relics can be seen only by the sisters who have access to the rear of the crypt. A Poor Clare sister, who made a pilgrimage to Assisi and was allowed access to the rear of St. Clare’s remains, gave me permission to post this photograph of St. Clare’s remains that she took. Here is a photo of the remains of Clare that can be seen only by Poor Clare Sisters. You can discern Clare's skull in the lower middle right. Below is a photograph of the mask of St. Clare's body that can be seen by the public. The mask made to cover Clare's face in 1850 was of dark leather. In the last restoration an entire new head was made digitally to correspond with her bone structure. This is the face of Clare seen today. St. Clare's body is in the crypt below the main altar of her basilica. In the picture of St. Clare's bones above, you can see the rear of her veil as well as the left side of the mask's face.
15 Comments
9/11/2012 05:18:39 am
Thank you, so very much, for this very fine presentation on St. Clare's life. I appreciate all your research and time put into your work. This segment is especially useful to introduce candidates for Poor Clare life to Saint Clare.
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Joan Pogson sfo.
9/25/2012 10:49:30 am
Thank you so much for this gift!
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9/4/2013 11:33:54 pm
Good to discuss about St. Clare of Assisi. It is good to know that the body remains were perfectly preserved and thank you for the wonderful and rare photos. These are really informative for the new generations to come. Good luck.
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Celia L. Aquino
8/10/2015 06:47:39 pm
Just want to say Thank You St. Clare for all answered prayer, my intercessor to our Lord Jesus. Happy Feast Day! Thanks for the beautiful photos I hope see photos of her Basilica.
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Carol
10/13/2015 01:13:42 pm
What a model for women today .St. Clare
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Basil Chua
9/24/2016 12:27:16 pm
What a privilege that I was given the opportunity to visit the crypt of Saint Clare of Assisi last week in person. All I could describe is a deep sense of peace and tranquility in the presence of Saint Clare. No word could describe.
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Vincent Lacerna.OFY
8/11/2017 11:33:20 am
But according to the letter of the Mother Abbess in the Basilica the body of our holy Mother Clare of Assisi is in corrupted
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Bret Thoman
8/11/2017 01:35:03 pm
When Clare's tomb was initially open, Clare's body was discovered to be partially incorrupt. But exposure to the elements caused it to decompose. Today, as you can see in the photo, only her bones remain
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Cathy
5/22/2018 12:16:00 pm
Does anyone know what is in the glass container?
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Misty
11/17/2018 11:35:59 pm
I am very curious too!! I would also love to see a more detailed picture of her bones. The skull appears to be reassembled?
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9/11/2019 06:49:55 am
I'm not sure you'll approve of this but this is true. In 1967-68 my family (all 7 of us) lived in Nancy. France (we are Americans- and every school vacation we were off some where. Once was to Assisi and I clearly remember going through a door (that had something in Italian I didn't understand on it) to the side of the crystal "tomb" where I could clearly see the "body" of St. Clare. And there, right on the other side, was the other side of the crystal tomb - just as shown in these pictures - my memory is mostly of the huge collection of bones - but my memory tells me they weren't so "mixed" up...but that could have something to do with my training later as a physician. It did leave me very confused for years about just what "incorrupt" meant - and to still (as so often is done) refer to St. Clare's remains as being incorrupt is clearly WRONG and only muddies the entire issue - even as far as are there any such saints' with actual incorrupt remains. This entire experience remains in my life as one of the finest, holiest most incredible experience I've ever had. To be that close to the remains (just bones - and the golden curls in a different crystal box - the color of her hair!!! so many hundreds of years later and still here for those of us alive now to be so close to....I suspect that door said something like "authorized persons" only - I didn't know I wasn't supposed to go there (and I often believe I was actually supposed to go there - with the effect it's had on my entire life! Seeing the actual bones (and the hair separately) was so much more meaningful than that lovely (but "fake") face and hands inside the habit......that wasn't "real" to me - but what's behind and actually under (or was in 1968) the crystal tomb was and I hope and pray always will remain as fresh and real as the were (and still are) now more than 50 years later.
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Jean Gardner
1/26/2020 01:00:05 pm
Margalit Avraham, Thank you for your memories and description of what you saw in 1968. I was in that same room in 1969 when I was 14 years old. I thought that what I was looking at were the real remains. I remember the hair and that it was somewhat reddish blonde. The face and hands appeared to me to be bones covered with thin parchment. It's very interesting to me that you were able to see the other side of the crystal box, and that there were bones in there. So I wonder if I was seeing the real remains. What I saw was similar to the Egyptian mummies I've seen. Oh well...I LOVED Assissi. Such a beautiful town! Especially the rosy pink hue of the town from a distance at sunset.
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JUANITA CAROL BLACK
8/16/2021 02:36:10 pm
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME SEE ST, CLAIRE. HER STORY HAS INSPIRED ME TO BE A BETTER PERSON.
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Andrea Briggs
4/7/2022 04:58:48 pm
Can anyone tell me about the series of exquisite paintings of St. Clare's life in the room where her body lies? When I visited last fall, I was able to learn very little about them. Thank you!
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Kimberly Buonassisi
3/20/2023 01:11:01 pm
At age 16 i was confirmed and chose St. Clare of Assisi . I have always been drawn to her works. She was an amazing model for women. Thank you so much for sharing these pictures and in memory of her thankful I am for this. Bless you . To those who have followed her teachings and joined the Poor Sisters may God grant you the best afterlife. Amen
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Bret ThomanCatholic. Franciscan. Married. Father. Pilgrim guide. Writer. Translator. Pilot. Aspiring sailor. Archives
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