As a prelude to the Holy Year of Mercy that was announced by Pope Francis, the relics of St. Maria Goretti was placed on display in Plainfield, Chicago and thousands of the Catholic faithful arrived to view her remains.

The 24-hour visit is part of the "Pilgrimage of Mercy" tour, which spans 48 cities. This is the first time that the relics of the youngest canonized saint have traveled to America. The young saint has ties to the US as three of her siblings emigrated to the country and settled in New Jersey. Her descendants reportedly still live there.

The saint's sacred remains arrived at 10 am and the glass casket was carefully placed inside the church where hundreds were already waiting. Thousands more stood in line to view her remains, which are inside the wax statue.

Goretti is known as the Little Saint of Great Mercy and is also revered for her purity. She was born in 1890 to laborers and grew up helping her parents. At 11 years old, she was taking care of her five siblings and those of her neighbor when her 20-year-old neighbor, Alessandro Serenelli, tried to rape her. She reportedly used her arm to stave him off; angered, he stabbed her 14 times and escaped.

Goretti died of her wounds the next day but it was said that her last words were that she has forgiven Alessandro and that she wants "him with me in Heaven forever."

Serenelli eventually became a lay brother in the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin after his release from prison.  

Most of the faithful in Chicago view the arrival of the relics as timely and meaningful as the city has seen more than its fair share of violence.

Those who paid homage to her remains were encouraged by the Rev. Carlos Martins of the St. Mary Immaculate Parish to touch the relics and offer the names of people they have difficulty forgiving to St. Maria and to declare their love to Jesus and the saint. He also advised them to forgive those people, as well as themselves.