The Inspiration at the Meeting of Rimini (2002)
In the summer of 2002, during a visit to the famous Meeting of Rimini in Italy, Carlo Acutis, then 11 years old, witnessed endless lines of people waiting hours for rock concerts and shows, while neighboring churches remained quiet with very few faithful before the Tabernacle.
Moved by this realization, Carlo exclaimed: 'If people knew what the Eucharist was, churches would be so full that no one could get in! In the Apostles' time, people traveled months on foot to see Jesus; today we have the same living Jesus just steps away: Jerusalem is right at our doorstep!'.
From this burning conviction, Carlo decided to create a visual and photographic exhibition of all Eucharistic Miracles recognized by the Church across over twenty centuries.
Two and a Half Years of Rigorous Historical Research
What seemed impossible for an 11-year-old became a family and ecclesial mission of highest historical fidelity. For two and a half years, Carlo and his parents traveled across shrines, monasteries and parish archives throughout Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Portugal and beyond to photograph relics, examine ancient ecclesiastical documents and collect scientific reports.
Carlo selected and structured 190 vertical graphic panels in 3:4 ratio (60x80 cm), combining high-resolution photographs, geographic maps, forensic medical reports and historical narratives with a solemn liturgical design.
A Spiritual Fruit that Traveled the World
After Carlo's death in 2006, the exhibition expanded prodigiously. In the United States, with support from the Knights of Columbus, The Cardinal Newman Society and The Real Presence Association, under the encouragement of Cardinal Raymond Burke, it has been hosted in thousands of churches.
The exhibition was welcomed in major world sanctuaries, including the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima (Portugal) for the centenary of Francisco Marto, and traveled to China, Indonesia and Vietnam, bringing souls back to Eucharistic adoration.