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A devastating fire has engulfed the historic Bernaga Monastery in northern Italy, prompting the evacuation of 22 cloistered nuns, according to the Italian fire service.
The centuries-old monastery, located in La Valletta Brianza near Milan, was founded in 1628 and holds deep significance for Catholics as the place where Carlo Acutis, the Church’s first millennial saint, received his First Communion.
The blaze broke out on Saturday and quickly spread, consuming the entire structure.
Images released overnight by the fire brigade on X showed the monastery completely alight. Although the nuns were safely evacuated without injury, local reports indicate that numerous priceless artworks and religious artefacts are believed to have been destroyed.
La Valletta Brianza’s mayor, Marco Panzeri, described the incident as “a disaster, an immense, incalculable damage.”
He suggested that the fire may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit.
Carlo Acutis, who was canonised by Pope Leo XIV on 7 September 2025, has been celebrated as a modern-day saint for his devotion to the faith and his use of technology to spread Catholic teachings.
His First Communion at the Bernaga Monastery remains a significant part of his spiritual journey, as the rite marks a vital milestone for children in the Catholic Church, typically received between the ages of seven and eleven.
