Relics of St. Carlo Acutis continued a six-day diocesan tour with a stop at Lancaster Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption on Saturday, Feb. 14.

First-class relics of the saint visited the Southeastern Correctional Institute, located just south of Lancaster, earlier that morning. 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.

Deacon Jeff Hurdley, who ministers at St. Mary of the Assumption, held the reliquaries that contained the relics for veneration.

Several pilgrims traveled to the Lancaster basilica that afternoon, venerating relics of Carlo’s pericardium (tissue surrounding the heart), a lock of hair, a piece of the bedsheet where he laid suffering and dying, and a piece of his favorite t-shirt donated by his mother.

St. Carlo died in 2006 at age 15 after battling leukemia. He is remembered for his devotion to the Holy Eucharist, requesting to receive his First Holy Communion at age 7, a few years earlier than for most Italians. He also created a website documenting Eucharist miracles across the world.

Joshua Hursey, 12, a parishioner at St. Mary of the Assumption, came to his parish to venerate the saint’s relics. Hursey shared that, much like Carlo, he has always had a deep devotion to the Eucharist.

He received his First Communion last year on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Chuck Miller, who lives in Lancaster and is a parishioner at Somerset St. Joseph Church, visited the basilica to venerate Carlo’s relics. The retired school teacher shared his happiness that young people have a role model in Carlo to emulate.

Cora Marsik, who belongs to Cincinnati St. John Neumann parish in Fairfield, part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, traveled to Lancaster to venerate the relics. Marsik noted she was impressed by St. Carlo’s age and devotion to the Lord.

Mickey Fromimos, 12, and his father also visited from Cincinnati to venerate Carlo’s relics. They were unable to do so last week when the relics were in the archdiocese.

Several students came for veneration, including Dominic Messerly, 14, an eighth-grader at Lancaster St. Mary School, and Finneas Delong, 17, a junior at Columbus St. Charles Preparatory School and parishioner at St. Mary of the Assumption.

St. Carlo’s relics will continue touring several parishes in the Columbus diocese through Feb. 18, Ash Wednesday.