A new statue depicting Blessed Carlo Acutis is a message that conveys to the world that the Church is not an old institution but is young and vibrant with a relevant message for today’s culture, the statue’s sculptor says. Source: Catholic Review.
Unveiled on August 15 outside the Shrine of the Renunciation at the Church of St Mary Major in Assisi, where the soon-to-be-saint is buried, Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz said “the Church is for the youth and it’s a growing church.”
“I know that Carlo Acutis mentioned that he wanted to be buried in Assisi. I’m sure he would be delighted to know that not only is his tomb there, but now there is a sculpture that celebrates him, cast in bronze, that will be there for more than a thousand years,” Schmalz said in an interview with OSV News on Friday.
The 3.3metre-tall bronze statue, St Carlo at the Cross, depicts the teenager kneeling beside Christ crucified. Contrary to more classic depictions of saints, Blessed Acutis holds a laptop in his hand that displays a chalice and paten.
Before his death at age 15 from leukemia in 2006, Blessed Acutis put his knowledge of computers to create an online database of eucharistic miracles around the world.
“I wanted to do a very heroic, large sculpture to show the connection between the cross with Christ, Carlo Acutis, and modern-day technology. So there are three essential elements in there that kind of celebrate the story of this modern saint,” Schmalz said.
“Oftentimes, when I do a sculpture of a saint, I’m using very historical elements that the saint holds. So I was like, ‘Whoa, here he is holding a laptop! I’m actually doing a sculpture of a saint holding a laptop!’ That was absolutely amazing,” he added.
Pope Leo XIV will canonise Blessed Acutis on September 7.
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Ahead of canonization, new statue of Blessed Carlo Acutis unveiled in Assisi (By Junno Arocho Esteves, OSV News via Catholic Review)
