Carlo Acutis. | Credit: carloacutis.com
Domenico Sorrentino, the bishop of Assisi, Italy, where the remains of Blessed Carlo Acutis rest, sent a message of encouragement to young people just prior to Pope Leo XIV’s declaring Acutis a saint of the Catholic Church, along with another young Italian, Pier Giorgio Frassati.
“Dear faithful and most beloved young people, let yourselves be guided by Carlo, follow his example, follow in his footsteps, walk his path, because it is the right path, the one that leads to Jesus and, therefore, to love and joy,” the Italian prelate said in a message published Sept. 5.
The bishop of Assisi sent his message just two days before the canonisation of Acutis, who will be declared a saint alongside Frassati on Sunday, Sept. 7, at a Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican at 10 a.m. local time.
Sorrentino also said that “today more than ever we need positive examples, exemplary life stories that will help our children not to be carried away by uncomfortable images, violent examples, and passing fads that leave nothing to be desired.”
“Carlo, on the other hand, teaches us to live a normal life, putting Jesus at the centre. You, parents, also help your children discover Carlo’s holiness so that they can live a life full of joy, full of Jesus,” he emphasised.
Born on May 3, 1991, Acutis was a young Italian who, from a very early age, experienced a profound love for God, with a special devotion to Eucharistic miracles, which he compiled in a digital exhibition that he shared online.
Suffering from leukaemia, Carlo died on Oct. 12, 2006, at the age of 15. He was beatified on Oct. 10, 2020.
The Diocese of Assisi also reported that some 800 pilgrims will arrive in Rome from Assisi on a special train arranged by the diocese. Twelve volunteers will be on board to distribute backpacks, scarves, and hats, and several priests and religious, led by the rector of the Shrine of the Spogliazione (Dispossession), Father Marco Gaballo, will be in charge of the group.
The Shrine of Spogliazione is the place where Carlo Acutis wanted to be buried, so Assisi welcomes both him and St. Francis.
Relics of the soon-to-be canonised St. Carlo Acutis at the canonisation
The Diocese of Assisi also announced that the relic of the heart of the young man who will become the first millennial saint will be brought to St. Peter’s Square in Rome. It was also announced that another relic of Carlo Acutis will be brought as a gift to Pope Leo XIV.
On Monday, Sept. 8, the day after the canonisation, a Mass of thanksgiving will be celebrated in Assisi at St. Mary Major Church by Sorrentino. Carlo Acutis’ parents, Valeria, the young Costa Rican woman who received the miracle leading to Acutis’ canonisation, and several civil authorities will be present.
The Diocese of Assisi also reported that, so far this year, some 630,000 pilgrims have come to the Shrine of the Spogliazione to venerate Acutis, with an average of up to 4,000 per day. In 2024, there were almost 1 million visitors.
Source: CNA