Carlo Acutis was born in London and devoted his short life to promoting the worship of The Eucharist- a commemorative act to the Last Supper, central to the Catholic celebration of Mass.
Acutis succumbed to Leukaemia on 12 October 2006 aged just fifteen.
In 2020, due to reported miracles occurring after praying for His intervention, Acutis was canonised as a saint in September 7th2025.
Since his death, his relics (A piece of pericardium) have been displayed in Assisi and the exhibition on Eucharistic miracles have globally travelled.
The pericardium is preserved in a reliquary and is carried worldwide by the Diocese of Assisi, as custodian of the relics of Carlo Acutis. The relics are featuring prominently in the UK and the US, for veneration, Mass and prayer.
One such exhibition has recently taken place within the Diocesan Parish of Salford. Two of the parish churches, St. Marys church Burnley and St. Patricks church Collyhurst, have been chosen. The importance of this visit cannot be equalled, as The Diocese of Salford is the only UK parish to hold such an event. The Relics are received globally but, on this occasion, they were received for the first time in the UK. This was a hugely important event for Salford, and particularly The Catholic diocese of Salford.
Catholic Bishop John Arnold formally requested the Relics from the Bishop of the Diocese of Assisi.
The request took two months to grant, and Salford Diocese received The Relics in January 2026.
The first church to display the relics received more than 3000 visitors. The church was open for school children first, closely followed by parishioners and everyone was made to feel welcome.
St Patricks church in Collyhurst hosted the second visit of the relics and again received huge numbers of visitors.
Canon Paul Daley has served as parish priest for many years. He spoke of his “immense pride” in being part of the services his church could offer the community. He felt that events such as these offered people ‘Heroes, not celebrities’.
He went on to say of Catholic Education: “It is inclusive and maintains the teachings of the catholic church amongst increasingly troubled times.”
Regarding Catholic Education, Maree, a catholic parishioner, felt that families have decreasing participation in their child’s education. She had worked with some vulnerable and troubled youths and highlighted the lack of family support or indeed any form of support available for the most needy. She felt that visiting The Relics would ‘help those children, irrespective of their religious belief.’
Helen Carey venerated The Relics and received a ‘profound sense of peace’.
Monsignor Anthony Figueiredo, custodian of The Relics, is an educated man, in possession of six doctorates. The Monsignor had been a stockbroker for many years before answering a call to faith. He repeated the teachings of Carlo Acutis and said that to become closer to God, one must ‘Desire it, and separate whatever leads you away from God’.
He said that “Everyone must strive to look after one another and keep the Love of God within our hearts and works every day”.
Successful reception of The Relics of Carlo Acutis have undoubtedly brought positive attention to Salford. The Relics were visited by approximately 8000 people. This visit was also undertaken at a time when the Diocese mother church St John the Evangelist, (Salford Cathedral) was temporarily closed for refurbishment. Thus, two smaller churches within The Diocese of Salford welcomed the globally travelled Relics. The first and only Diocese to do so in the United Kingdom.