In Chacras de Coria, within the Archdiocese of Mendoza, the world’s first sanctuary dedicated to San Carlo Acutis is being built, canonized alongside Pier Giorgio Frassati last September 7 by Pope Leo XIV. According to Vatican News, the project arose from the providential collaboration between two priests, the local community, and with the support of Archbishop Marcelo Colombo, in addition to having received authorization at the time from Pope Francis.
The pastoral vision behind the sanctuary
The pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Father Osvaldo Scandura, explained to Vatican News that the project responds to a pastoral need and a spiritual sign: «For ten years we have been seeking a new space for the parish, which is growing in demographics and needs accompaniment. The donation of a plot of land coincides with the impulse to dedicate it to San Carlo Acutis. All this confirms that it is a project of God, not of a person or a community».
Scandura also recalled a mystical experience that marked the decision: «In 2022 we perceived the freshness of the Virgin’s perfume on June 27, the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. We felt that she was announcing the birth of a new son, and that son is San Carlo Acutis».
An architectural project designed for Catholic youth
The work, which began three months ago, includes an elevated church, basement, parking, priest’s house, amphitheater, natural spaces, and a chapel for perpetual adoration. «We want to make young people protagonists, allow them to develop their qualities and abilities, and strengthen the intergenerational network proposed by Pope Francis: grandchildren and adults working together to announce the Gospel», Scandura declared in statements reported by Vatican News.
For his part, Father Mario Panetta, pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary, recalled how the arrival of the relic of San Carlo Acutis in 2023 marked a milestone for the diocese: «During the canonization vigil, many young people participated despite the distance between parishes. They organized to live the experience of encountering a young saint, a testimony of life that allows them to discover the transcendence of the Gospel».
Panetta emphasized the relevance of Carlo’s message in the digital age: «Young people live in networks and digital communication, but they also need to learn to encounter themselves and God. Carlo spoke of the Eucharist as his highway to heaven; teaching this today implies accompanying them in their human and spiritual development, using technology in favor of evangelization and not as a substitute for real encounter».
Carlo Acutis, a 21st-century saint as a model of faith
Carlo’s testimony, canonized at the age of 15, inspires the sanctuary’s design. «Carlo teaches us that life, though short, is a gift to give to others. His example invites us to live charity, to go out of ourselves, and to encounter God in service», Scandura affirmed to Vatican News.
Father Panetta sent a direct message to young people: «We encourage you to turn off your devices for a moment, turn on the ‘Wi-Fi with God,’ and listen to that gentle voice that shows you your worth and the eternal meaning of your life. Many seek transcendence in destructive paths; San Carlo shows that there is a different way».
Mendoza as a new international center for youth pilgrimage
The cornerstone of the sanctuary was laid on November 12, 2023, and the works are expected to be completed in three years. In addition to housing the parish, it will feature natural meeting spaces and an amphitheater, all with the aim of bringing the life of Carlo Acutis closer to those who pilgrimage to Mendoza.
In Panetta’s words, reported by Vatican News: «Getting to know a young saint like Carlo transforms the hearts of young people; they discover that it is possible to live differently, to be happy, and to give witness to the Gospel from everyday life».
Carlo Acutis’s mother defined the sanctuary as «a beacon of light», a space where simplicity, charity, and faith unite with creativity and technology to offer young people a unique experience of encounter with God.