Relic of future 'millennial saint' Carlo Acutis to visit Philippines
Filipino pilgrims pray at the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi, Italy, on August 25, 2023. (CBCP Photo)
The pilgrim relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the teen who will soon become the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint, is scheduled to visit the Philippines from Nov. 28 to Dec. 15, church organizers announced.
The relic, a piece of Blessed Carlo’s pericardium (the membrane surrounding the heart), will be brought to the country following his canonization on Sept. 7.
The visit is being coordinated by the Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis-Philippines, a group founded in 2020 to promote devotion to Acutis, particularly among Filipino youth, and to foster love for the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary.
“This historic visit is a moment of renewal and celebration for the Filipino Church, especially for our youth and families, who are invited to encounter the witness of the young saint who reminds us that the Eucharist is truly our ‘highway to Heaven,’” the organization said.
The visit has been officially confirmed by Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of the Diocese of Assisi–Nocera Umbra–Gualdo Tadino, where Acutis lived.
The relic’s Philippine pilgrimage has been entrusted to the Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis-Philippines and will be conducted under the episcopal guidance of Bishop Dennis Villarojo of Malolos, in collaboration with a special commission on relic pilgrimages.
Acutis died of leukemia in 2006 in Monza, Italy, at the age of 15.
He was beatified in 2020 and is admired worldwide, especially by young Catholics, for his devotion to the Eucharist and his pioneering use of digital media to evangelize.
Organizers are urging dioceses, parishes, schools, and communities to begin preparing for the relic’s arrival.
A full itinerary of the Philippine pilgrimage will be released in the coming weeks.