Pope Francis sends remains of youngest saint to Atlanta

ATLANTA -- A decision by Pope Francis to send the remains of the youngest ever canonized saint to the United States, created a big turnout at churches in Atlanta on Monday and Tuesday.

Close to 15,000 people took shuttles and waited in line to see the remains of Saint Maria Goretti.

At Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Buckhead on Monday, thousands waited all day to see the relics and to attend a special evening Mass.

On Tuesday, Goretti's remains, which are inside a wax statue in a glass casket, headed to the Catholic church of Saint Monica in Duluth.

This is the first time Goretti's remains have been brought to the United States. Pope Francis sent them for the visit, which includes more than 50 cities in the U.S.

Maria Goretti is the the youngest canonized saint in the Catholic Church in modern times. She was 11 years old when she was killed on July 6, 1902, after being stabbed 14 times in an attempted rape. Maria's last words on her deathbed were of mercy towards her 20-year old attacker: "I forgive Alessandro Serenelli… and I want him to be with me in heaven forever."

Serenelli reported receiving an apparition of Maria in prison. That occasion began a conversion process – in his words, "Maria's forgiveness saved me."

Sending Goretti's remains to the United States is part of an effort by the Catholic Church to prepare the lay faithful for the upcoming jubilee year in which Catholics will celebrate God's mercy beginning on December 8th.

Pope Francis says Goretti is an example of the power of forgiveness, that we must remember that God gives us the strength to forgive and be forgiven, and that children are often our teachers.

Goretti's remains are headed to Florida. 

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