(ZENIT News / Asis, 03.30.2025).- As excitement builds for the April 27 canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, Italian prosecutors have launched an investigation into the unauthorized online sale of his supposed relics. The probe, led by the Perugia Prosecutor’s Office, was initiated after the Bishop of Assisi, Domenico Sorrentino, filed a formal complaint regarding a recent auction in which a lock of hair allegedly belonging to Acutis was sold for €2,000.
The unauthorized sale of relics is not a new phenomenon, but the case of Carlo Acutis—a modern-day Catholic figure revered for his devotion to the Eucharist and his pioneering use of digital evangelization—has drawn particular concern.
«In the vast world of online sales, a market has emerged for relics of various saints, including St. Francis of Assisi, complete with price lists. This is absolutely unacceptable,» Bishop Sorrentino stated in a March 26 announcement.
While it remains unclear whether the relic in question is authentic, the bishop emphasized that, regardless of its legitimacy, such transactions are deeply offensive to the faith. «Even if these items were fabricated and the whole thing were a fraud, it would not only be a financial scam but also a serious insult to religious belief,» he said.
Under Catholic Church law, the sale of first- and second-class relics is strictly forbidden. First-class relics—such as body parts or hair from a saint—are considered sacred and cannot be bought or sold under any circumstances. Only donations, properly authorized, are permitted. Even second-class relics, which include items used or worn by a saint, are subject to similar restrictions.
More significant relics, such as body parts or organs, require Vatican approval before being transferred. The Church maintains that relics should be venerated, not commercialized, and their misuse is seen as a violation of both faith and ethics.
The controversy surrounding the sale of Acutis’ relics comes at a time of great anticipation for his canonization ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on April 27 in St. Peter’s Square. The event will coincide with the Church’s Jubilee for Adolescents, a fitting tribute to the young Italian, who passed away from leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15 and is celebrated as a role model for Catholic youth worldwide.
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