A relic of Carlo Acutis, the Italian teenager who is likely to become “the first millennial saint”, is being held this weekend at a church in Manchester.
Thousands of pilgrims are expected to attend St Anthony's Church in Wythenshawe where a relic of his heart is being held. It will remain there until Monday afternoon after four days of veneration and special services.
Carlo died in 2006 at the age of 15 after suffering incurable leukaemia. He became known as “God’s influencer” because of his love of spreading the Gospel wthrough social media and a website he designed himself.
The Bishop of Shrewsbury, Rt Rev Mark Davies said: “The witness of Blessed Carlo Acutis will continue among us through the pilgrimage of his relic.
“The days of prayer and celebration in Wythenshawe will invite us to draw closer to Jesus Christ as this teenager did in the first years of our century, above all by knowing His real and loving presence in the Holy Eucharist.”
Carlo Acutis was born in London but moved to Italy with his parents when he was three months old. From a very young age, he showed a devotion to Jesus Christ.
Carlo was beatified in 2020 after the healing of a Brazilian child was attributed to his intercession and in July, Pope Francis approved a second miracle that will permit his canonisation. It's believed he'll be made a Saint during the 2025 Catholic Jubilee.
Carlo had described his approach as “To always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan”.
Information about prayer time before the relic can be found here: www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org