India opens its first church dedicated to St Carlo Acutis

A Catholic church in Kerala, India, was dedicated to St. Carlo Acutis on the day of his canonization, marking a milestone as the country’s first church named after the teenage saint.

Located in Pallikkara in the Ernakulam district, the newly built church was consecrated Sept. 7, the same day Pope Leo XIV canonized Acutis at the Vatican, UCA News reported.

While the building had been ready for months, local Church leaders waited until the canonization to formally dedicate it in his name. Designed to hold around 600 people, the church also holds a first-class relic of the young saint: a strand of his hair.

Since its blessing by Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil, the site has seen a growing number of visitors. Father Mathew Kallinkal, the archdiocese’s vicar general, said many have come to seek the intercession of the young saint.

“We never expected such crowds,” Fr. Kallinkal told UCA News Sept. 9. “It is a great honor for us to have the first church dedicated to the teenage saint in India, and perhaps in the world.”

Archbishop Kalathiparambil said that the new church is intended not only as a tribute but also as an inspiration for youth, encouraging them to follow St. Carlo’s example in living a holy life within the digital age. 

According to UCA News, archdiocesan leaders are also planning to introduce devotional practices, such as a novena, to help deepen the faithful’s connection to the saint’s legacy.

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