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The Miracle Record

Valeria Valverde — Healing through Carlo Acutis' Intercession (2022, recognized 2024)

Healing Image

The story in one line

a reported healing through the intercession of Carlo Acutis entered the saint’s canonization record.

The basic story

Valeria Valverde, a Costa Rican student in Florence, suffered catastrophic head trauma after a bicycle crash in July 2022. After her mother prayed at Carlo Acutis' tomb in Assisi, her recovery was recognized by the Vatican in 2024 as the miracle for Carlo's canonization.

Historical setting

This case belongs to the Carlo Acutis canonization process in Central America, where a reported recovery was folded into the saint's intercession record.

Florence / Assisi July 2022 Recognized in 2024

Accident date

July 2, 2022

The Vatican and Assisi sources date the bicycle accident in Florence to July 2, 2022.

Condition in the file

Severe head trauma

The public record includes craniotomy, hemorrhage, and a low reported chance of survival.

Pilgrimage date

July 8, 2022

Valeria’s mother prayed at Carlo Acutis’ tomb in Assisi on July 8, 2022.

Canonical status

Recognized May 23, 2024

The Holy See decree used this healing for Carlo Acutis’ canonization cause.

The story

Section titled “The story”

Valeria Valverde, a Costa Rican student studying in Florence, was severely injured in a bicycle accident on July 2, 2022.[2] She suffered catastrophic head trauma, required emergency craniotomy, and her doctors reportedly gave her a very low chance of survival.[2] [3] A craniotomy is a surgery in which part of the skull is opened so doctors can relieve pressure on the brain.

Six days later, her mother Liliana went to Assisi to pray at the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Official Church reporting says that on the same day the hospital informed her that Valeria had begun breathing spontaneously, and that the hemorrhage then disappeared on later scans.[2] [3]

The Holy See formally recognized the miracle in May 2024, opening the way to Carlo Acutis’ canonization.[1]

Valeria file

  1. July 2 Accident and surgery The public file begins with severe head trauma in Florence and emergency neurosurgery.
  2. July 8 Prayer in Assisi Valeria’s mother prayed at Carlo Acutis’ tomb and left a written petition there.
  3. Afterward Recovery and decree Official church reports then connect her improvement and later Vatican recognition in 2024.
Open full graphic
A summary graphic showing how the Valeria Valverde file is built from the Florence bicycle accident, Assisi prayer at Carlo Acutis' tomb, and the later Vatican decree.
Valeria Valverde’s public file is unusually concrete for a canonization miracle: accident, neurosurgery, prayer at Carlo Acutis’ tomb, later scans, and the 2024 Holy See decree. Site explainer graphic

Primary-source file

Section titled “Primary-source file”
Holy See decree Promulgation of decrees of May 23, 2024

The Holy See press office announced the recognition of the miracle attributed to Blessed Carlo Acutis.

press.vatican.va Vatican chronology Pope Francis clears path for canonization of Carlo Acutis

Vatican News gives the Florence accident, the Assisi prayer at the tomb, the medical turns, and the later decree.

vaticannews.va Assisi diocesan summary Carlo Acutis santo, ecco chi ha ottenuto il miracolo

The Diocese of Assisi provides the local chronology from the accident through the thanksgiving return to Assisi.

diocesiassisi.it

Publicly documented chronology

Section titled “Publicly documented chronology”

The chronology reported by official Church sources

Section titled “The chronology reported by official Church sources”

The Vatican News and Diocese of Assisi accounts align closely on the sequence.[2] [3]

  • July 2, 2022: Valeria fell from her bicycle in Florence and was taken to Careggi Hospital.[3]
  • Doctors diagnosed severe head trauma and performed craniotomy with removal of the right occipital bone to relieve pressure.[2] [3]
  • July 8, 2022: Liliana prayed all day at Carlo Acutis’ tomb in Assisi and left a written plea for his intercession.[2] [3]
  • That same day, Valeria began breathing on her own; the next day she started moving and partially recovered speech.[2] [3]
  • July 18: a CAT scan showed the hemorrhage had disappeared.[2]
  • August 11: she was transferred to rehabilitation.[2]
  • September 2: mother and daughter returned to Assisi in thanksgiving.[2]

The cited sources provide a relatively detailed chronology from the bicycle accident through neurosurgery, pilgrimage, and Vatican recognition.[1] [2] [3] That is one reason this case is easier to follow than many older canonization miracles: the public timeline is unusually concrete.

Publicly documented case file

Section titled “Publicly documented case file”

The public record for Valeria Valverde is unusually specific for a modern canonization miracle and includes:

  • the accident date and hospital location in Florence[2] [3]
  • neurosurgical intervention and later imaging milestones[2] [3]
  • the mother’s prayer at Carlo Acutis’ tomb in Assisi on July 8, 2022[2] [3]
  • the Holy See decree of May 23, 2024[1]

That combination of hospital chronology, shrine chronology, and Vatican decree is what gives the public record its shape.[1] [2] [3]

Role in the Acutis cause

Section titled “Role in the Acutis cause”

This was the miracle used for Carlo Acutis’ canonization, not merely his beatification.[1] In other words, it was the second miracle officially accepted in his cause after Matheus Lins Vianna’s healing in Brazil.

Valeria Valverde’s recovery has three clear features in the public record:

  • it is tied to Carlo’s tomb in Assisi[2]
  • it involves severe objectively documented trauma rather than a subjective complaint[2] [3]
  • it passed through the Vatican process sufficiently to be named in the official decree of May 23, 2024[1]

What the public record includes

Section titled “What the public record includes”

Valeria’s case is documented through reports of a bicycle accident, neurosurgery, CT scans, rehabilitation, pilgrimage to Assisi, and the later Vatican decree.[1] [2] [3]

References

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  1. Holy See Press Office. “Promulgation of Decrees of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, 23.05.2024.” Official Vatican decree announcing recognition of the miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Available at: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/05/23/240523b.html
  2. Vatican News. “Pope Francis clears path for canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis.” Official Vatican report giving the timeline of Valeria’s July 2022 accident in Florence, Liliana’s prayer at Carlo’s tomb in Assisi, and Valeria’s recovery. Available at: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2024-05/pope-francis-saints-decrees-miracle-acutis-allamano.html
  3. Diocesi di Assisi - Nocera Umbra - Gualdo Tadino. “CARLO ACUTIS SANTO, ECCO CHI HA OTTENUTO IL MIRACOLO.” Official diocesan summary naming Valeria, the accident date, the diagnosis of severe head trauma, the hospital improvement, and the September thanksgiving pilgrimage. Available at: https://www.diocesiassisi.it/carlo-acutis-santo-ecco-chi-ha-ottenuto-il-miracolo/