Campo Grande: The city of Campo Grande has been transformed into a center of faith and emotion as thousands of Catholics gather to venerate a relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the 15-year-old Italian youth soon to be declared a saint by Pope Leo XIV. The relic, a dark blue pullover sweater frequently seen in photographs of Acutis, arrived at São Sebastião Parish on September 1, marking the official start of Canonization Week.
Escorted solemnly by the Fire Department, the sweater was placed in a transparent acrylic case before the parish altar, where over a thousand faithful joined in prayer and celebration. The relic will remain in Campo Grande for permanent veneration, though its display is being carefully organized to accompany liturgical services.
Father Marcelo Tenório, parish priest of São Sebastião, explained the significance of the relic in the life of the faithful. “The relic will be present at Masses until Tuesday (September 2). Afterwards, it will be transferred to the Chapel of the Miracle in Vila Margarida and will return to the parish on Sunday for the Mass of Thanksgiving,” he said.
The sweater is particularly meaningful for local Catholics, as it connects directly with the first miracle attributed to Acutis the healing of Matheus Lins Vianna in Campo Grande in 2010. At just six years old, the boy was cured of a severe pancreatic malformation after prayers before an image of Carlo at the same chapel where the relic will now be placed.
According to Dulce de Morais, coordinator of the Canonization Week events, the relic will not be open for continuous daytime visitation to preserve reverence and order. Instead, access will be granted during evening services. She also confirmed that, after the canonization, the relic will remain at São Sebastião Parish, though the parish council is still arranging the details for permanent exhibition.
The arrival of the relic drew dignitaries and civic leaders, including First Lady Mônica Riedel, who described the event as a milestone for the Catholic community. “It’s a truly special and deeply emotional moment. We are overjoyed to have Carlo’s relic with us, ready to inspire more miracles. To see the power of faith embodied in the life of a 15-year-old young man strengthens us all,” she said.
Carlo Acutis’ canonization is scheduled for September 7 at the Vatican, following months of anticipation. Originally set for April 27 during the Jubilee for Adolescents, the ceremony was postponed after the death of Pope Francis. Pope Leo XIV will now preside over the canonization of Acutis, alongside Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Two officially recognized miracles paved the way for Carlo’s sainthood. In addition to Vianna’s healing in Campo Grande, the second miracle occurred in Italy, where a woman facing life-threatening complications during childbirth made a full recovery after invoking Carlo’s intercession.
The city is hosting a rich spiritual program leading up to Sunday’s canonization. Daily activities are being held at the Chapel of the Miracle, culminating on Saturday, September 6. On Sunday, September 7, the faithful will gather at 4:00 AM at São Sebastião Parish for a live broadcast of the Vatican ceremony. The day will end with a Mass of Thanksgiving and a public fellowship lunch at Clube Estoril, where families and parishioners will celebrate the canonization of the “cyber-apostle of the Eucharist.”
For the Catholics of Campo Grande, the presence of Carlo’s sweater is more than a relic it is a visible reminder of how holiness can flourish in ordinary life, even in the digital age.