In the autumn of 2024, large crowds attended the veneration of the relics of St Carlo Acutis (1991-2006) at Holy Cross. Now, a permanent shrine is being established in the church.
St Carlo Acutis was canonised by Pope Leo IX in July 2025, and the Holy Cross shrine will be blessed by the Assisi-based promoter of his cause, Monsignor Anthony Figueiredo, and Fr. John Harris, Provincial of the Irish Dominicans.
Fr David McGovern, Prior of Holy Cross, said that Tralee has a particular devotion to St Carlo as he is a modern saint whom people, especially young people, can relate to.
His family were not religious, yet he was attracted to Jesus and spent his short life living out his Christian faith with a remarkable intensity. His faith was so strong that it inspired his parents to become devout Catholics.
The English-born Italian was widely venerated as the first millennial saint following his death from leukaemia at the age of 15 in 2006. As a computer programmer, his interest in using digital communication to teach others led to him being popularly dubbed the patron saint of the internet.
Acutis is said to have shown an interest in helping others from a young age. He was a devout Catholic which inspired him to help others in a compassionate and caring way.
That his story has touched the lives of so many is evidenced by the large crowd that queued to venerate the Blessed Carlo’s relics when they visited Holy Cross in November 2024. Several hundred people attend the monthly Memorial Mass in the church on the third Monday of each month.
The blessing of the shrine, which contains a permanent first class relic of the saint, will take place during Concelebrated Mass in Holy Cross on Monday evening at 7.30pm.