This is how the construction of the first chapel that the "influencer of God" will have in the world is progressing in Mendoza.

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The chapel in honor of Acutis in Mendoza will be the first temple in the world dedicated to this young Italian , who died in 2006 at the age of 15. Although he has already been beatified , the canonization ceremony - presided over by Pope Leo XIV - will take place in the Vatican on September 7. Initially, it was going to take place on April 27 , but the death of Pope Francis (April 21) motivated the rescheduling .

"We're interested in making it a project for everyone . As Carlo's mother told me when I was able to communicate with her, this place is going to be a beacon of light . And I'm convinced, given the way things are going, that it's not just a structural project , but a spiritual one that brings us closer to faith," Scandura told Los Andes .

In that sense, he added that it aims to be a space for contemplation , a place of light, calm and encounter .

"Another important message worth highlighting is that every child of God is called to be a saint . Blessed Carlo Acutis showed us that physical maturity does not go hand in hand with spiritual maturity . He, as a young man, achieved that spiritual maturity, and it allowed him to open himself up to others," the priest continued.

A total investment of one million dollars has been planned for the construction of the Carlo Acutis Chapel in Mendoza. The architectural project is based on the vernacular architecture of Chacras de Coria, so both the interior and exterior will be made of stone . The chapel will also feature large windows to allow in plenty of light and stained-glass windows that will graphically depict the history of Acutis .

Wood , stone , and stained-glass windows will be the main features. The roof, meanwhile, will be made of flagstone, and the chapel will have a bell tower .

In addition, there will be a large outdoor atrium for people to meet before and after Mass , intended to serve as a meeting point for young people . And in the gardens , there will be shrines and prayer spaces to venerate Carlo Acutis himself, the Virgin Mary , Enrico Shaw , and Chiara Badano . The entire grounds will also include an artificial lake .

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" 100% of the materials are donated , so we need funds to cover the labor . It's impressive how people get involved in helping when they find out that the chapel will be used to venerate Carlo Acutis ," architect Franco Pérez Magnelli , one of those in charge of the work, told Los Andes a few months ago.

Carlo Acutis was born in London in 1991 , although when he was very young he moved to Milan (Italy) , where his parents were from.

From a well-off family, Carlo's parents weren't very religious . In fact, his mother said she almost felt compelled to read and study religion because of the number of questions her son asked.

From a young age, Carlo Acutis demonstrated such a deep devotion to the Eucharist that he was granted dispensation to receive his First Communion at the age of eight . His Catholic devotion grew through Carlo's Eucharistic adoration of the Church.

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On October 12, 2006 , Carlo Acutis died at the age of 15. He had leukemia , and his mother admitted that at her son's wake , she was struck by the number of people she didn't know who had come to say their final goodbyes.

All of these people were homeless and vulnerable , whom Carlo Acutis had helped by sharing his money.

To declare a person considered a "venerable child of God" blessed , it is essential to recognize certain virtues . If it is proven that the person has interceded for a miracle to occur, they are eligible to be declared blessed . This happened to Acutis after a child in Brazil was unexpectedly healed from a critical pancreatic illness in 2019 .

This young man, who was gravely ill , was taken to a parish where the relics of Carlo Acutis were kept; he kissed them. Upon arriving home, the young man stopped vomiting , and after examination, the diagnosis was that he had—miraculously—been cured of his illness.

Carlo Acutis, the young man who will be beatified on Saturday and could become the Patron Saint of the Internet. / Courtesy.

With this miracle , Carlo Acutis was declared blessed in 2020. However, it was the verification of the second miracle attributed to him that led to the already defined sanctification , which will be concretized on September 7 at the hands of Pope Leo XIV .

This second miracle — already verified by the Church—involves a girl from Costa Rica who fell while riding her bicycle while in Italy . Following the fall, the young woman's condition also became critical . It was at that moment that her family took her to the location of Acutis's body (the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi ) and prayed for her speedy recovery . A week later, the girl who had fallen off her bicycle was fully recovered .

" Acutis is known as the 'Cyber-Apostle of the Eucharist' , since he dedicated himself to researching religion on the Internet and creating an exhibition that now travels the world . At his young age , what stands out most is that in his encounter with God through the Eucharist , he did not hold back, but did good , and he did it in great silence," explained Father Osvaldo Scandura .

It is even said that before he died, Carlo told his mother that he would have twins . And, once Acutis passed away, his prophecy came true .

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On October 10, 2020 , just two days before the 14th anniversary of his death , Pope Francis beatified Carlo Acutis . Days before the ceremony, on October 1 of that year, the tomb where the teenager's body lay was opened. Remarkably, despite the fact that 14 years had passed since his death , the body was observed to be practically intact .

This situation gave rise to versions that spoke of an "incorrupt body" , which - according to religion - is a resurrected body that will not die , will not suffer illness or pain. However, Bishop Domenico Sorrentino , of the town of Gualdo Tadino , clarified that the explanation for the state in which the body was kept had to do with the procedures that were carried out to transform the young man's body .

Carlo Acutis was beatified yesterday in Assisi, Italy.

In this regard, the priest clarified that Carlo Acutis' body was found "in a normal state of transformation typical of a post-mortem condition."

Sorrentino, bishop of the city of Assisi , where Carlo's body is located, clarified that although the entire body was present, it was not "incorrupt."