Editorial photo #13670683 Religion and Belief

Basilica Of La Verna Franciscan Sanctuary With Arched Portico And Bell Tower, Tuscany

An overhead close-up of the octagonal marble floor plaque marking the site where St. Francis of Assisi is believed to have received the stigmata on September 14, 1224, inside the Chapel of the Stigmata at the Sanctuary of La Verna, Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy, on April 9, 2026. The stone slab, engraved with a Latin inscription bearing the name of San Francesco, is encircled by a dense floral wreath of pink, salmon, and red roses interspersed with eucalyptus foliage. A single lit votive candle placed at the center adds a devotional focal point. The surrounding floor features a diamond-pattern polychrome marble inlay typical of Tuscan Franciscan sacred architecture. (Photo by Matteo Della Torre/NurPhoto)