A first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis will be in Derry, Ireland from September 13-18.
The relic continues to pilgrimage to Ireland every three months in order to eventually visit all 26 dioceses. In between pilgrimages, the relic is housed in a church called the Sanctuary of the Renunciation in Assisi, Italy.
The relic is a piece of Carlo’s pericardium, which is a fibrous membrane enclosing the heart and blood vessels. The relic was also present at World Youth Day in Lisbon.
Blessed Carlo Acutis was only 15 when he died from leukemia in 2006. He attended daily Mass, had a love for the Eucharist and created a digital exhibition website of Eucharistic miracles around the world. Acutis was declared a Blessed in 2020 by Pope Francis, making him the first beatified millennial.
The first miracle attributed to Acutis was the healing of a 4-year old Brazilian boy who suffered from a rare pancreatic disease. The boy, named Mattheus, had extreme difficulty eating and vomited almost constantly. A priest friend of Mattheus’ family, named Fr. Nicola Gori, obtained a relic from Carlo’s mother, and had been praying for Acutis’ beatification. The priest said a special Mass and offered a prayer service, which Mattheus and his mother attended. They also prayed a novena to Acutis.
Fr. Gori told Italian media that at the prayer service, when Mattheus’ turn to touch the picture of Acutis came, Mattheus prayed a singular prayer: “‘‘I wish I could stop vomiting so much.’” Immediately after this prayer, Mattheus began to heal. On the drive home from Mass, Mattheus requested steak, fries, beans, and rice. Once they were home, Mattheus ate the whole dinner and didn’t vomit once. Taken to physicians several days later, Mattheus was found healed of his disease.
The miracle took place in 2013, and was formally recognized by the Vatican in February 2020. Acutis was declared a Blessed in October that same year. Acutis needs one more miracle attributed to him in order to be canonized as a saint.
Blessed Carlo’s relic will be at four dioceses in Ireland from Sept. 13-18, in the Cathedral Church of Derry (September 14) the International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine of Knock in the Archdiocese of Tuam (September 15), St. Ann’s Church in the Diocese of Elphin for the Abide Eucharistic Conference (September 16), and the Cathedral Church of Dromore (September 17).
