Brief
Melbourne teens gather at Antonine College to venerate relics of Saint Carlo Acutis
The event aimed to inspire young people with the first Millennial saint’s story and relics.
By Felo News Desk · Published
On Wednesday, about 500 students at Antonine College in Pascoe Vale South, Melbourne, attended a mass honoring Saint Carlo Acutis, the first Millennial saint canonised by Pope Leo in 2025. The school displayed two metal reliquaries containing pieces of the saint’s pericardium and strands of his hair, which were shown to the assembled teens.
What happened
The mass featured Father Eli Yammine and Sister Veronique Karam, who held the relics over each child’s head for a blessing. After the service, students wrote prayers that will be sent to Carlo’s tomb in Assisi, Italy. The relics are part of a four‑month tour of 53 Australian cities organised by Friends of St Carlo Acutis Australia.
What the reports add
The SMH article notes that the relics are kept in two 30‑centimetre high metal reliquaries, one showing tissue from the saint’s heart and the other his hair. It also mentions that Carlo, who died of leukaemia at age 15 in 2006, was known for using social media to promote volunteering and documented over 130 Eucharistic miracles.
What was said
Kate Hobbs, president of Friends of St Carlo Acutis Australia, said the saint’s life offers “hope and a way to come to God” for young people and that his example shows “there was room for spirituality in their lives.”
How it came about
The relics are travelling across Australia in a Catholic‑approved mission to inspire youth, following Carlo’s canonisation in September 2025. Earlier this week, Hobbs brought the relics to Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, praying with a seven‑year‑old heart surgery patient and her family.
Key facts
- Around 500 students attended the mass at Antonine College in Pascoe Vale South. (smh.com.au)
- Two reliquaries displayed pieces of Saint Carlo Acutis’s pericardium and hair. (smh.com.au)
- Father Eli Yammine and Sister Veronique Karam blessed each child with the relics. (smh.com.au)
- Friends of St Carlo Acutis Australia is touring the relics to 53 Australian cities. (smh.com.au)
- Kate Hobbs said the saint offers hope and a spiritual path for young people. (smh.com.au)
Sources
- [1] smh.com.au — originally reported as “Highway to heaven: Melbourne teens gather to venerate relics of ‘influencer’ St Carlo Acutis”
