At only 25 years of age and recently married, Lucas Mancilha was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a rapidly progressing disease that took his life just three days after the diagnosis. The young man died giving a testimony of sanctity because of his witness of docility to God and love for the Church. A website tells his story and shares testimonies from his family and friends.
An awakening of faith
Born on May 18, 1993, in São Leopoldo, a municipality in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Lucas grew up in a Catholic family.
But it was at the age of 11 that his faith was awakened by activities held by a movement in his diocese. From then on, he lived his life of prayer faithfully, sought spiritual direction, and exercised his apostolate mainly among adolescents and young people.
Lucas Mancilha was fascinated by the lives of the saints and dreamed of becoming a martyr. “To be a martyr is to go straight to heaven, without purgatory,” he said hopefully.
When he realized that God wasn’t calling him to martyrdom, he was actually sad. He only recovered after an intuition: “I cannot be a martyr, but I can offer Jesus the sufferings of an illness.”
This illness would come, but not before he had the opportunity to live an extraordinarily ordinary life. He studied, worked, was active in his local church, sought his vocation, fell in love, got engaged, and married. He was a normal young man who lived well integrated into the world, embracing reality, but without losing sight of heaven.
Sickness instead of martyrdom
Shortly after his wedding, which took place on October 13, 2018, the symptoms of leukemia began to appear. Excessive fatigue and bruises on his body led to further investigation and diagnosis. As soon as he received the news of his illness, already in the hospital, Lucas asked his mother for only two things: the Bible and the book 25 Minutes - The Life of Chiara Luce Badano, a young Italian girl who died of cancer and is in the process of canonization.
On December 7, 2018, three days after discovering his illness, Lucas passed away. Before that, he had the opportunity to go to confession, receive the anointing of the sick, and say goodbye to his loved ones. He celebrated his personal Easter on the eve of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, to whom he had a deep devotion, praying the Rosary every day.
The wake, held at Our Lady of Grace Parish, was attended by a large number of young people and became a great moment of prayer. Lucas' body was buried in the cemetery behind the church.
To this day, the testimony of Lucas Mancilha continues to touch the hearts of those who knew him. His tomb is visited by many people who privately ask for his intercession.
His life dedicated to evangelization and the heroic way in which he endured his illness have become a precious testimony for young people.
