A new church dedicated to Saint Carlo Acutis in Kerala
Consecrated last Sunday to coincide with the canonisation ceremony presided over in Rome by Leo XIV, the new church is located less than a kilometre from a large amusement park popular with young people. For Archbishop Kalathiparambil, it will be a “church for the new generation”.
Kochi (AsiaNews) – As Pope Leo XIV presided in Rome last Sunday over the canonisation of Carlo Acutis, an English-born Italian teenager who died at the age of 15, the first "millennial" saint, a new church dedicated to him was consecrated in Palikkara, near Kochi, India.
This is further evidence of how this young man, held up throughout the world as an example of witness to the Gospel in today's world, is also arousing great interest in churches across Asia.
Kerala is now home to one of the first churches in the world named after Carlo Acutis (another one already exists in the Archdiocese of Chicago).
Roby Philip, joint convenor of the construction committee, said the initiative began with Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil of Varapuzha, who sees the church as a place for new generations.
“The church also houses relics of the saint. Around 140 families will attend prayers here, which will be held every Tuesday and Sunday,” Philip said.
Archbishop Kalathiparambil led the consecration ceremony, along with vicars general Mathew Kallingal and Matthew Elanjimattam, as well as church vicar Fr Rocky Kollamparambil.
The church, built on land owned by the diocese, was completed in just a few months, after work began in April this year.
During the dedication ceremony, Archbishop Kalathiparambil noted that the life of Saint Carlo Acutis can inspire young people seeking to combine spirituality with modern technology, and that the new church will help further this movement.
Carlo Acutis, who died of acute promyelocytic leukaemia in 2006, used new technologies to spread the Catholic faith and ran a website about Eucharistic miracles around the world.
The new St Carlo Acutis Church is located less than a kilometre from WonderLa, a large amusement park popular with young people along the Thekkady-Ernakulam road in Kochi.
The parish priest, Fr Sojan Michael, announced that a novena in honour of Saint Carlo Acutis will soon be held. “We are already receiving indications from believers on how their intercession requests are being fulfilled,” he said.
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