A BELFAST church has welcomed the relic of an Italian teenager beatified by Pope Francis.
Crowds of people, including groups of school children, have been visiting St Paul's on the Falls Road to see the relic of Blessed Carlos Acutis.
It arrived on Tuesday after being previously received by Archbishop Eamon Martin at St Patick's Cathedral in Armagh on Sunday.
The relic of the 15-year-old has been brought to Ireland for three days by Monsignor Anthony Figueiredo, who is based in Assisi in Italy.
In pictures: Relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis at St Paul's in west Belfast
Blessed Carlo was beatified by Pope Francis on October 10, 2020, becoming the first millennial to be declared 'Blessed' by the Catholic Church.
Born in London to Italian parents, he grew up in Milan where from a young age, he displayed an extraordinary devotion to his Catholic faith and attended Mass daily, regularly received the sacraments as well as developing a deep love for the Eucharist.
He died in 2006 after a battle with leukemia.
After two wonderful days in St Patrick's Cathedral, the visit of the Sacred Relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis ends after the 10am Mass on Tuesday morning. The Relic will be available for veneration on Tuesday morning from 8.30am - 9.45am. Blessed Carlo Acutis, intercede for us! pic.twitter.com/hsyUjEhKtB — Armagh Parish (@ArmaghParish) June 13, 2023
