The canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis will happen soon!
The soon-to-be saint, whose feast day is October 12, was beatified in 2020. But did you know that the miracle recognized by the Vatican, which made this possible, happened in Brazil?
Young Matheus Vianna, who suffered from a rare disease called annular pancreas, was completely cured after touching a Carlo Acutis relic in a church in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
Eleven years after the miracle, Matheus lives with his mother and brother on a farm in Anápolis. In an interview with the UOL, the boy's grandmother, Solange Lins Vianna, said he is “a normal teenager who likes to eat, play games, and be on his cell phone."
She also said he prefers to live a more reserved life.
Vianna said Matheus, now 14, goes to Mass with her and keeps a painting of the future saint with him. She says that Matheus' mother also "lives a life of seclusion, only to pray."
Vianna also said that when he was younger, Matheus liked to play Mass, and even asked for a cassock as a birthday present.
For the family, it was a great joy to learn of the young man’s canonization: “We were very moved. For us, Carlo was already a saint. Now, he will be a worldwide saint, for everyone.”
The miracle after touching Carlo Acutis' relic
Father Marcelo Tenório, from the Parish of São Sebastião (where the miracle happened), explained how it happened:
“Every October 12th, during the feast of Our Lady of Aparecida and on the anniversary of Carlo’s death, we offer the blessing of his relic in a solemn Mass.
On October 12, 2013, in the chapel of Our Lady of Aparecida in our parish, during the blessing of the relic, a boy, who was with his grandfather and suffered from annular pancreas, approached.
This rare condition caused constant vomiting, leaving the child debilitated, as everything he consumed, including liquids, would come back up. He always carried a small towel due to the severity of his condition. While waiting for the blessing, the boy asked his grandfather what he should ask for, and he replied: 'to stop vomiting'. And so it happened.
When it was his turn, the boy touched Carlo's Relic and firmly asked: 'stop vomiting'. Since then, he has not vomited again!
In February 2014, the family underwent new tests and confirmed that the boy had completely recovered.
This miracle was sent to the Sacred Congregation of Saints, and the Vatican established an Ecclesiastical Tribunal in the Archdiocese to investigate the case, collecting testimonies and medical evidence. After the process was completed, the documents were sent to Rome, where they were analyzed by a team of Vatican experts.
The miracle was officially recognized on November 14, 2019, thus completing the beatification cycle.”
The priest also mentioned that “Carlo Acutis has a special affection for Brazil. His mother, Dona Antonia Acutis, cannot explain this; although Carlo has never been to Brazil, 90 percent of the miracles attributed to him occurred here.”
In October 2020, the parish inaugurated an altar dedicated to Blessed Carlo Acutis and the enthronement of his relic.