Relics of St. Carlo Acutis made their third stop in the Columbus diocese on Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Southeastern Correctional Institution (SCI), about six miles south of Lancaster.

A tour of the young saint’s relics began Friday, Feb. 13, visiting The Villas at Saint Therese independent living community and Mother Angeline McCrory Manor health care facility followed by the Columbus Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization parish.

The tour was largely organized by Dr. Stephen and Mary Ann Jepsen, parishioners at Columbus-Powell St. Peter St. Joan of Arc, who worked to bring relics of Carlo to Columbus.

The saint’s relics came to the diocese with Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo of Assisi, Italy, assigned to their care. They are set to visit several diocesan parishes during a six-day span, including the correctional institution.

The Liturgy of the Word was celebrated in the institution’s chapel Saturday morning with about 50 inmates.

Clergy included Msgr. Figueiredo; Father Matt Morris, chaplain at SCI; and Deacon Jeff Hurdley, who ministers at Lancaster Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption.

Reliquaries were present during the liturgy containing St. Carlo’s pericardium (the tissue surrounding his heart), a lock of hair, a piece of the bedsheet where he laid suffering and dying, and a piece of his favorite t-shirt.

Inmates were invited to venerate the saint’s relics. It was a unique opportunity for the faithful imprisoned, who otherwise would be unable to participate.

One inmate, whose name was not permitted to be shared, was baptized and confirmed Catholic by Father Morris last week.

Although not Catholic previously, he watched a documentary a year ago on the 2020 beatification of then-Blessed Carlo Acutis. He prayed for Carlo’s intercession, seeking healing for his step-granddaughter suffering from kidney cancer.

By the time St. Carlo was canonized on Sept. 7, 2025, more than a year after watching the documentary, the young girl’s cancer was in remission.

Msgr. Figueiredo spoke to the inmates, encouraging them to seek Carlo’s help. He reminded them that Carlo made a plan, or program, for his life: to be united always to Jesus.

“He chose that; he chose that in his heart, as you can today,” the priest affirmed.

Msgr. Figueiredo was grateful to gather with the imprisoned. “To be here is a grace,” he said, “because you can meet Jesus. I’m really happy that you are here today.

“When something is taken away from us, whether it’s our freedom, our liberty, kids, wife, our work, it can be really tough, but God works everything for our good.

“He didn’t want you to be here, to commit whatever you committed – no way, but it happened. He can use it for a greater purpose, really, if we convert it to Him.

“Why do we bring these relics? To say that you, too, can be saints.”