Relics of recently canonized St. Carlo Acutis from the Diocese of Assisi, Italy, will visit Columbus with Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo from Friday, Feb. 13 to Wednesday, Feb. 18, Ash Wednesday.

St. Carlo Acutis was canonized late last summer on Sept. 7. The 15-year-old Italian died of leukemia in 2006, leaving a legacy of deep faith and devotion to the Holy Eucharist. He is buried in Assisi.

His relics, including first-class relics, have visited 23 countries in the past three years.

First-class relics include fragments of a saint’s body. Other classes include second-class relics, including items a saint owned such as a piece of clothing, and third-class relics, which are items a saint touched or that have been touched to a first-, second- or third-class relic.

Msgr. Figueiredo, a native of Goa, India and raised in London, was assigned to the Assisi diocese about six years ago by the late Pope Francis. As part of his priestly duties, he looks after Carlo’s relics, bringing them to countries throughout the world for veneration.

“What is interesting now is that many local churches, dioceses, states like Ohio, are requesting the relics,” the priest said. “We’re becoming much more localized because we want to reach people where they are.”

St. Carlo’s relics will visit parishes, schools, a prison and care facility during a six-day span in Columbus.

“The tour is really to bring the relics of St. Carlo Acutis, more importantly, the message of Carlo Acutis, which points us to Jesus, especially in the Eucharist,” Msgr. Figueiredo noted.

“When he was dying, the bed sheet that was covering him absorbed his blood, sweat and tears. So we have a fragment of that.

“We bring that because, Carlo, when he was suffering and dying, he indicates, ‘I’m not wasting this suffering. I’m offering this up. I’m offering it up for the Pope, for the Church, to go to heaven.’”

In addition to a fragment of the sheet containing Carlo’s fluids, relics include a lock of the saint’s hair and a fragment of his favorite t-shirt. The cloth was donated by Carlo’s mother, Antonia Salzano Acutis.

“We bring that t-shirt because Carlo is us, and we can be Carlo,” Msgr. Figueiredo affirmed. “He’s just like one of us.”

Most important, the priest noted, a part of St. Carlo’s heart, known as the pericardium, is included in the relics soon to visit Columbus.

“The pericardium is a bit like bubble wrap. Our heart sits in a sack, and that’s like bubble wrap to protect, defend it,” Msgr. Figueiredo explained.

“Just as the heart is the most important organ of the body – keeping us alive and needs protection, defending, keeping in place – Carlo knew how to do that in his life by constructing a spiritual pericardium.”

The saint followed five steps during his short life, helping to achieve sainthood: Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Confession, love of the Blessed Mother and the saints, and acts of charity.

St. Carlo’s “life plan” to stay close to Jesus helped in times of temptation and challenges, and most especially, in his suffering and dying.

His relics have visited cathedrals, churches, hospitals, the elderly and prisons across the world.

The teenager’s relics also travel to schools. Msgr. Figueiredo emphasized the importance of reaching the youth, the future of the Church.

The saint is relatable to the young and an example of living a holy life rooted in God.

“He’s an ordinary kid whose life becomes extraordinary,” Msgr. Figueiredo said. “Carlo could have chosen many other things in his life: He was talented, came from a wealthy family, he was a good-looking kid, a genius with the internet, but he chose to love God.

“Loving God, and being loved by God, he was able to love especially the least fortunate, the forgotten, the vulnerable, all of those. That’s just beautiful – I think a great sign in this life, in this world that goodness exists and we cannot live for ourselves.”

Carlo’s relics were brought to Ohio at the invitation of the state’s local bishops. Before the Columbus diocese, the saint’s relics visited the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and Diocese of Toledo.

After spending time in Columbus, Carlo’s relics will continue their tour of the United States with a visit to California.

“It’s just extraordinary, seeing when I bless each individual with a relic, all ages – kids as young as two or three, even newborns, to elderly people in their 90s – they come of all shapes, of all sizes, of all nationalities, of all backgrounds,” Msgr. Figueiredo reflected.

“When they come to be blessed by the relic of St. Carlo Acutis, to look into their eyes, their faces, you see a whole life – and a whole life can be transformed by meeting a saint.”