The pilgrim relic of Carlo Acutis, who became the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint on September 7 will be brought to the Philippines later this year, Church organizers announced.
The relic, a section of the saint-to-be’s pericardium, the membrane that surrounds and protects the heart, will be in the country from November 28 to December 15, according to the Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis – Philippines.
The organization was formed in 2020 to promote the devotion to Acutis especially among the Filipino youth while also fostering a deep love for the Eucharist and for 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,’” it said.
The visit was confirmed by Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi–Nocera Umbra–Gualdo Tadino, Acutis’s home diocese, and entrusted to the Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis Philippines.
The pilgrimage will be carried out under the episcopal guidance of Bishop Dennis Villarojo of Malolos, in coordination with a commission responsible for relic pilgrimages.
Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 in Monza, Italy, at the age 15, was beatified in 2020 and has since drawn global devotion, especially among young Catholics, for his deep love of the Eucharist and use of technology to spread the faith.
Organizers encouraged dioceses, parishes, schools, and communities to begin preparations for the relic’s arrival. Detailed schedules of the pilgrimage will be released at a later date.
