<br><br>**Title** Relic of Catholic Church's First Millennial Saint Goes Missing from Venezuelan Parish<br><br>In a surprising turn of events, a relic of Carlo Acutis, the Catholic Church's first millennial saint, has gone missing from a parish in western Venezuela. Just two days prior, Pope Leo XIV declared Acutis a saint, solidifying his legacy as a role model for young Catholics.<br><br>The relic, a small, circular piece of cloth classified as a third-degree relic, vanished from the Santo Domingo de Guzmán parish in Cardenal Quintero municipality in Mérida state on September 9. The relic was kept in a glass reliquary and held significant spiritual value for devotees.<br><br>Adrián García, coordinator of the San Carlo Acutis Youth Group, reported the disappearance and expressed confidence that the relic will reappear. We have faith in God that it will appear, he said. It has great spiritual value.<br><br>The theft occurred just two days after Pope Leo XIV declared Acutis a saint, highlighting the importance of preserving sacred items for their spiritual significance. Carlo Acutis, born in 1991 in London and passed away from leukemia at age 15 in 2006, was recognized by the Catholic Church as venerable in 2018 and then blessed in 2020 after a child in Brazil recovered from a pancreatic deformation attributed to his intercession.<br><br>The authorities are currently investigating the disappearance, but no information has been released regarding the identity of those responsible or the location of the relic. The Catholic Church has previously condemned the online sale of Carlo Acutis' relics, emphasizing their importance as tangible connections to the saint.<br><br>The theft serves as a reminder of the significance of preserving sacred items for their spiritual value and the need for vigilance in protecting them.
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