Church dedicated to ‘millennial saint’ Carlo consecrated at Kakkanad

The newest church dedicated to Blessed Carlo Acutis, a London-born Italian who died as a teenager in 2006, was consecrated at Pallikkara, Kakkanad, near here on Sunday.

The teenage computer aficionado, dubbed “God’s influencer”, had been canonised earlier in the day at Vatican, making him the Roman Catholic Church’s first ‘millennial saint’.

The church at Kakkanad was blessed on Sunday evening by Archbishop of Varapuzha Joseph Kalathiparambil. The others who were present included Vicar Generals Mathew Kallingal and Mathew Elanjimattam and the church Vicar Fr. Rocky Kollamparambil.

The sainthood ceremony for Carlo, who died at the age of 15, had been originally scheduled for April 27 but was suspended because of Pope Francis’ death six days earlier.

Described by those who knew him as exceptionally smart and internet savvy, Carlo also had a deeply spiritual side. He regularly attended church, set up a website listing miracles attributed to the Eucharist and carried out countless acts of kindness, according to his biographers and the people who championed his cause for sainthood.

His brief but exemplary life struck a chord with the faithful, and since his 2020 beatification — the penultimate step toward sainthood — his tomb in Assisi has drawn multitudes of pilgrims, including teenagers. His canonisation coincides with the Jubilee of Teenagers.