The Italian city of Assisi celebrates from October 9 to 12 the feast of Saint Carlo Acutis, coinciding with the twentieth anniversary of his death, which occurred on October 12, 2006. The Sanctuary of the Spogliazione, where his tomb is located, has prepared four days of Eucharistic celebrations, prayer, and gatherings dedicated to the young saint, who was canonized on September 7, 2025.
According to the Diocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, one of the main events will take place on Sunday, October 11, when Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, will preside over a Mass at 10:00 a.m. in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, the seat of the sanctuary. The celebration will be broadcast by the Italian network Canale 5.
The program will conclude on Monday, October 12, the liturgical memorial of Saint Carlo Acutis, with a Mass at 6:00 p.m. presided over by Bishop Felice Accrocca, Bishop of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino and of Foligno.
Eucharistic Adoration and Celebrations before the Saint’s Tomb
The celebrations began on Friday, October 9, with a Mass presided over by Friar Simone Calvarese, provincial minister of the Capuchins, followed by a testimony and music gathering led by Father Francesco Fiorillo, head of the fraternity of the Monastery of San Magno in Fondi.
For Saturday, October 10, a Mass is scheduled at 6:00 p.m. presided over by Bishop Anthony Figueiredo. The day will continue at 9:00 p.m. with Eucharistic adoration accompanied by the polyphonic choir of Foria and the association Tantum Ergo Carlo Acutis.
On Sunday, several Masses will be celebrated throughout the day. In addition to the one presided over by Cardinal Tagle, there will be celebrations at 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 4:00 p.m., the latter in English, to facilitate the participation of pilgrims from other countries.
The choice of the Sanctuary of the Spogliazione as the center of the events is linked to the presence of Carlo Acutis’s mortal remains, transferred there for veneration. Since his beatification and subsequent canonization, the church has become a place of pilgrimage especially frequented by young people and families.
Twenty Years Since the Death of Carlo Acutis
Carlo Acutis was born in London on May 3, 1991, and grew up in Milan. From childhood, he showed a deep devotion to the Eucharist, which became the center of his spiritual life. He attended Mass daily, prayed the Rosary, and dedicated time to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
His interest in computer science enabled him to develop initiatives for religious outreach, including an exhibition on Eucharistic miracles recognized or documented in various parts of the world. He thus used his technological knowledge to spread the Catholic faith and foster devotion to the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
In October 2006, he fell gravely ill with leukemia and died on the 12th, at just fifteen years of age. He was beatified in Assisi on October 10, 2020, and canonized in Rome on September 7, 2025.
His life has sparked particular interest among young people for the way he integrated prayer, the sacraments, and charity into the ordinary circumstances of a teenager of his time.
The celebrations in Assisi, which include several Masses and Eucharistic adoration, precisely reflect this dimension of his witness. The liturgical memorial on October 12 will allow the faithful to entrust themselves to his intercession and to remember that the universal call to holiness can also find a generous response during youth.