COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — The youth group from Our Lady of Pines Catholic Church had spent months preparing to witness the canonization of Carlo Acutis, known as the first millennial on the path to sainthood.
"I went on this trip to see the canonization of Carlo Acutis. I was really excited for it because he is, like, a very relatable saint. He's a millennial," said Avery Paris.
But when Pope Francis died, their journey took an unexpected turn.
"The focus got changed a little bit to seeing the funeral of the Pope… that was still a really powerful experience that I am really happy I got to be a part of," added Paris.
The teens joined more than 200,000 Catholics in St. Peter's Square to pay their respects, with some standing shoulder to shoulder for hours, praying, grieving and witnessing history.
"It was a very sad time… but something that I walked away with was this better understanding that it really was a celebration of life," said Viktor Duling.
Despite the change in plans, Acutis remained close to their hearts. The 15-year-old, who died in 2006 of leukemia, used the internet to spread his love for the Eucharist, earning the nickname "God's Influencer."
For Lilly Gutierrez, Carlo is much more than a role model.
"I have an optically on my brain tumor. I was diagnosed when I was eight. Since then, it has grown three time,… I went and I asked for healing, and I actually just had my MRI today (Wednesday), and we received the results right before I left, and it had shrunk significantly. What took a year to grow a vast amount, it was able to shrink significantly in three months. So, it was a true miracle, and I will forever be grateful," said Gutierrez.
That inspiration is shared by Arvind Rege, whose family has prayed to Acutis for years since his younger brother was diagnosed with the same cancer that claimed the young saint's life.
"My family has always had this devotion to him… praying to him… having this spiritual connection to our lives. You could feel the reverence… it was both sad, it was very emotionally charged… but it was also just a very happy moment," said Rege.
The group visited Carlo's tomb in Assisi, where his body lies preserved in glass.
"It was really crazy to see his body… it was, like, perfect… like he looked like a wax figure… and that was just really cool," said Paris.
For Duling, it was a wake-up call that faith doesn't have to wait until you're older.
"It doesn't take 20 years or 30 years to create something great out of your faith… it just takes some initiative like he had," said Duling.
Whether it was through quiet prayer in basilicas or standing in line at dawn to witness the Pope's funeral, these teens say their trip wasn't what they expected, but exactly what they needed.
"It was just so inspiring for me… it just makes it seem so achievable… which is so beautiful," said Gutierrez.
They went in search of a saint and found something sacred in sorrow, unity and hope.
"I really hope that the Pilgrims kind of take this one in a lifetime experience to heart, and I have confidence that they will. Especially the seniors in our youth group going off to college, that this will really edify their faith and continue to be kind of grounding for them amidst life's turmoil," said Matthew Kane, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Pines Catholic Church.
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