Home
Finance
Travel
Shopping
Academic
Library
Create a Thread
Home
Discover
Spaces
 
 
  • Digital-Age Faith Pioneer
  • Path to Sainthood
 
Pope Leo XIV to canonize "God's influencer" teen as first millennial saint

Pope Leo announced Friday that Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old Italian teenager who died of leukemia in 2006, will be canonized as the Catholic Church's first millennial saint on September 7. The ceremony will also canonize Pier Giorgio Frassati, an Italian recognized for helping those in need who died of polio in the 1920s.

The announcement came during a gathering with cardinals at the Vatican, marking a new date for a canonization originally scheduled for April 27 but postponed following Pope Francis's death on April 21. According to Reuters, Pope Leo did not specify the location of the ceremony, though such events typically occur in St. Peter's Square.

User avatar
Curated by
aetheris
2 min read
Published
14,521
532
yahoo.com favicon
Yahoo
Pope Leo to make Carlo Acutis first millennial saint on September 7
catholic.com favicon
Catholic Answers
The Life of Carlo Acutis | Biography, Legacy, and Devotion
vaticannews.va favicon
Vatican News
Pope Francis clears path for canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis
Carlo Acutis to Be First Millennial Saint: Pope Francis ...
ncregister.com
Digital-Age Faith Pioneer

Acutis, born in London to Italian parents in 1991, became known as "God's influencer" for his remarkable integration of technology and Catholic faith12. Before his death, he mastered several programming languages and created websites to promote his faith, most notably cataloging 187 Eucharistic miracles from around the world2.

"Carlo was an ordinary child like others," his mother Antonia Salzano told Reuters in April. "He played, had friends, and attended school. However, his remarkable trait was that he opened his heart to Jesus and prioritized Him in his life"1.

The teenager developed a profound devotion to the Eucharist, attending daily Mass from age seven and often saying, "The Eucharist is the highway to heaven"2.

yahoo.com favicon
catholic.com favicon
2 sources
Path to Sainthood

The Vatican approved Acutis's canonization after recognizing two miracles attributed to his intercession1. The first involved a 4-year-old Brazilian boy with a severe pancreatic malformation, while the second concerned 21-year-old Costa Rican Valeria Valverde, who survived a serious bicycle accident that left her with severe head trauma21.

According to Vatican News, Valverde's mother Liliana prayed at Acutis's tomb in Assisi on July 8, 2022, and that same day hospital staff informed her that her daughter had begun breathing spontaneously1.

Acutis was declared venerable in 2018 and beatified in 20203. His canonization is expected to attract tens of thousands of young Catholics to Rome2.

Francine Costantini, diocesan director for youth ministry in Cleveland, told the Diocese of Cleveland that Acutis's canonization "tells our teens that holiness is possible" and that "sainthood is not just for people from long ago"4.

vaticannews.va favicon
yahoo.com favicon
catholicworldreport.com favicon
4 sources
Related
How did Carlo Acutis's use of technology influence his path to sainthood
What specific miracles led to Carlo Acutis's canonization
Why was the canonization ceremony postponed after Pope Francis's death
Discover more
Pope offers condolences as Texas flood toll reaches 70
Pope offers condolences as Texas flood toll reaches 70
Pope Leo XIV offered condolences on Sunday for the victims of Texas flash floods that have killed at least 70 people, speaking in English after Angelus prayers as search teams continued looking for dozens still missing from the disaster that began July 4. Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio has led the Catholic Church's response, celebrating special masses and coordinating relief...
1,280
Dolton buys Pope Leo XIV's childhood home despite money woes
Dolton buys Pope Leo XIV's childhood home despite money woes
The Dolton Village Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to purchase the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV, moving forward with a deal that village leaders called a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" despite ongoing financial concerns about the cash-strapped municipality. The board's decision clears the way for Dolton to acquire the modest two-story house at 212 E. 142nd Place, where the pontiff...
4,012
Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart dies at 90
Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart dies at 90
Jimmy Swaggart, the Pentecostal televangelist whose multimillion-dollar ministry reached millions before being toppled by prostitution scandals, died Tuesday at age 90 after suffering cardiac arrest two weeks ago. Swaggart's death was announced on his ministry's Facebook page, stating he had "finished his earthly race and entered into the presence of His Savior, Jesus Christ". The Louisiana...
1,335
Pope Leo XIV names new Archbishop for Mobile
Pope Leo XIV names new Archbishop for Mobile
Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Mark S. Rivituso of St. Louis as the new Archbishop of Mobile on Tuesday, accepting the resignation of Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi, who has led the Alabama archdiocese for 17 years. The appointment, announced in Washington by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, fills a leadership void that began when Rodi submitted his retirement letter in March 2024 upon turning 75, the age...
461