Eight-hundred years after his death, there are new discoveries to uncover about one of history’s most influential saints: St Francis of Assisi. His influence has drawn millions of pilgrims to the Basilica for centuries, with Giotto’s extraordinary frescos shaping a powerful legacy: a wealthy man who renounced everything; a preacher of peace for both man and animal; a visionary saint marked by the stigmata.

But alongside this narrative, another story has remained almost invisible. Hidden within the Basilica walls lie over 700 devotional graffiti of messages from friars, travellers and pilgrims, studied now for the first time.

With exclusive access to these hidden traces, the voices ordinary believers are restored to reveal a more complex and intimate portrait of the celebrated saint. Discover the man beyond the myth and the secret history embedded within Italy’s most sacred convent.