Nuns have been evacuated from an almost 400-year-old Italian monastery following a destructive fire that broke out late Saturday night, consuming numerous invaluable artifacts.
As flames engulfed the Vernaga convent in La Valletta Brianza, located just outside Milan, 21 nuns living there had to flee.
Nineteen of them were relocated to other religious facilities for temporary shelter. Massimo Sertoli, the local politician and current lawmaker for the area, noted that two other individuals were taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries.
This monastery, established in 1628, is notable as the site where the newly canonized Saint Charles Acutis had his first Holy Communion—a significant ritual within the Catholic faith for children around ages 8 to 11.
According to photos shared by Sertoli, the fire led to the complete destruction of the monastery’s roof.
The full extent of the damage remains uncertain; however, reports suggest that many artifacts and artworks showcased within the monastery may be lost for good. Sertoli mentioned, “There was significant damage to the building where the high-end paintings were stored.”
Marco Panzeri, the Mayor of La Valletta Brianza, referred to the incident as a “disaster” resulting in “immeasurable damage,” as reported by local media.
Sertoli speculated that the fire might have been caused by “a short circuit from one of Ambrosian’s cells,” referring to the monks residing there.
The Ambrosian Rite, part of the Catholic Church’s liturgical practices, is named for St. Ambrose, a bishop of Milan in the 4th century.
Saint Charles Acutis, recognized as the first saint of the millennium, was canonized on September 7th. He passed away from leukemia in 2006 at just 15 years old but spent his short life sharing his faith through a website chronicling miracles worldwide.
His loved ones remember him fondly as a cheerful boy who enjoyed soccer and had a fascination with classic cartoons like “The Simpsons” and “Pokémon.”
After his passing, Acutis became informally known as the “Divine Influencer.”
