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Lancaster Today
By the People, for the People
Relics of Millennial Saint Visit Ohio Prison
Southeastern Correctional Institution hosts veneration of St. Carlo Acutis' relics
Published on Feb. 16, 2026
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Relics of St. Carlo Acutis, the Catholic Church's first millennial saint, were venerated at the Southeastern Correctional Institution (SCI) in Lancaster, Ohio on Saturday, February 14, 2026. The visit marked the third stop on a six-day tour of the Columbus diocese, offering a unique spiritual opportunity for incarcerated individuals.
Why it matters
The visit to the prison highlights the Catholic Church's efforts to bring spiritual resources and support to incarcerated individuals, providing them with opportunities for faith, healing, and rehabilitation. St. Carlo Acutis, who was beatified in 2020 and canonized in 2025, has become a symbol of millennial sainthood, making his relics particularly meaningful for younger generations.
The details
During a Mass celebrated in the SCI chapel, approximately 50 inmates participated in the service. The reliquaries presented contained significant items associated with St. Carlo Acutis, including a portion of his pericardium, a lock of his hair, a fragment of the bedsheet he used while suffering from leukemia, and a piece of his favorite t-shirt. Inmates were given the opportunity to venerate these relics.
- The visit took place on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
- The six-day tour of the Columbus diocese began on Friday, February 13, 2026.
The players
Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo
An assigned representative from Assisi, Italy who accompanied the relics throughout the tour.
Father Matt Morris
The chaplain at Southeastern Correctional Institution.
Deacon Jeff Hurdley
A minister at Lancaster Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption.
Dr. Stephen and Mary Ann Jepsen
Parishioners at Columbus-Powell St. Peter St. Joan of Arc who facilitated the relics' arrival in Columbus.
St. Carlo Acutis
The Catholic Church's first millennial saint, who was beatified in 2020 and canonized in 2025.
What they’re saying
“To be here is a grace, because you can meet Jesus. I'm really happy that you are here today.”
— Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo
“When something is taken away from us…God can use it for a greater purpose, really, if we convert it to Him.”
— Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo
“Why do we bring these relics? To say that you, too, can be saints.”
— Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo
What’s next
The relics will continue their tour, visiting additional locations in the Columbus diocese over the next several days.
The takeaway
The visit of St. Carlo Acutis' relics to the Southeastern Correctional Institution provides incarcerated individuals with a unique spiritual opportunity, highlighting the Catholic Church's efforts to bring faith, healing, and rehabilitation to those in prison.
