Less than a month before the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the sculpture “St. Carlo at the Cross,”  depicting him kneeling at the feet of Christ, was unveiled in Assisi, Italy. The bronze work, by renowned Canadian artist Timothy Paul Schmalz, is located in the garden of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, which is part of the Sanctuary of the Dispossession.

Crafted by the creator of iconic works such as Homeless Jesus and Angels Unawares, this is the first sculpture to pay homage to the future millennial saint.

Acutis, known as the God Influencer, used the internet to spread devotion to the Eucharist, documenting Eucharistic miracles from around the world and showing how faith can be integrated with technology. In the work, Carlo holds a laptop, on whose screen the chalice and paten appear, symbolizing how he presents the Holy Eucharist to the world through technology. Additionally, a slingshot hangs from the side of his backpack, a symbol that artist Schmalz interprets as a reference “to David versus Goliath: a young man confronting contemporary secular culture with the tools of the digital world, and who draws his strength from the pillar of the cross.”

St. Charles at the Cross is a gift the Canadian artist gave to the city. Regarding his work, the artist noted: “As we add new figures to the army of Catholic saints, we also add new works of art; both enrich our heritage and our understanding of the faith.”

Blessing ceremony on the Solemnity of the Assumption

In a simple ceremony on the feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, Monsignor Domenico Sorrentine, bishop of the dioceses of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino and Foligno, together with the rector of the Shrine, Father Marco Gaballo, unveiled the work and prayed the rosary. The bishop invited everyone “to pray and embrace with enthusiasm the great miracle of faith and devotion.” The ceremony concluded with a gathering organized by the Italian Capuchin Friars, who manage and care for the Shrine.

The canonization of Carlo Acutis, known as “the saint of millennials,” is scheduled for Sunday, September 7, in Rome, and will be presided over by Pope Leo XIV. The event, which will mark a significant moment of the Jubilee, will also have a strong impact on Assisi, the city where the young blessed’s remains are located and which is already preparing for an extraordinary influx of faithful in the days leading up to and following the ceremony.

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About the sculpture
Name:  St. Carlo at the Cross
Author:  Timothy Schmalz
Material:  Bronze
Dimensions:  Height 348 cm / Width 172 cm / Depth 101 cm
Location:   Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (Piazza del Vescovado, 3, 06081, Assisi PG, Italy)