The relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis that traveled through Ireland in June is back in the Emerald Isle for the second stint of a pilgrimage that will see the relic eventually visit all 26 Irish dioceses.
Blessed Carlo Acutis would have been 32 years old as of May 3, 2023, had the young man not died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15. Acutis was known for centering his life around the Eucharist, attending Mass and Adoration daily. He believed “when we put ourselves before Jesus in the Eucharist, we become saints,” and his passion for his faith led him to create a website that tracks Catholic miracles around the world, which can still be visited today.
Aleteia previously reported that the relic is a piece of Blessed Carlo Acutis’ pericardium, the fibrous membrane that encloses the heart and blood vessels. It is considered a first-class relic, as it is an actual piece of the beatus' body.
According to a press release, this time the relic will be in Ireland from September 13 - 18, and will visit four dioceses before returning to the Sanctuary of the Renunciation, in Assisi, an Italian church where Blessed Carlo Acutis’ remains are housed and displayed. The itinerary is as follows:
The relic of Bl. Carlo Acutis will be on display for veneration in the Cathedral Churches of Derry (September 14) and Dromore (September 17), the International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine of Knock in the Archdiocese of Tuam (September 15), and St. Ann’s Church in the Diocese of Elphin for the Abide Eucharistic Conference (September 16).
Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, of the Diocese of Assisi, Nocera Umbra, Gualdo Tadino, and Foligno, who will accompany the relic through Ireland, commented on the pilgrimage:
"We are happy that a relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis can reach four more Dioceses in Ireland because we are convinced, given previous experiences, that devotion to this young man, who lived according to the Gospel, is an example and a help to the Church and to the many young people who are seeking points of reference to grasp the beauty of faith”.
In June, the relic visited the Irish Archdiocese of Armagh and the Diocese of Down and Connor, where it was on display for several days and drew crowds who wished to pray before it. Afterward it traveled to World Youth Day in Lisbon, where it was venerated by young people who turned out in droves for the first beatified Millennial.
DonegalLive notes that this visit to Ireland will also launch a new book, Blessed Carlo Acutis: Light the Flame of Faith, by Monsignor Figueiredo, written specifically for Ireland, and a CD of a song composed in his honor. It also reported that the pilgrimage of Bl. Carlo Acutis’ relic will continue every three months until it has visited every diocese in Ireland.
