A British teenager known as a “digital disciple” is set to be canonized as the first millennial saint today by Pope Leo. Carlo Acutis gained recognition among young Catholics, including those in Chicago, for serving as a contemporary role model who utilized technology to promote faith.
Born in London in 1991 to a wealthy Italian-English family, Carlo grew up in Milan and embraced Catholicism fervently after receiving his First Communion at seven. He actively engaged in religious practices such as attending daily Mass, praying the rosary, and participating in eucharistic adoration.
At the age of 11, Carlo started compiling an online exhibit on over 100 eucharistic miracles acknowledged by the Catholic Church, emphasizing the real presence of Christ in consecrated bread and wine. Despite enjoying typical teenage activities like hiking and video games, he also dedicated himself to teaching catechism and aiding the homeless.
Tragically, Carlo fell ill at 15 in October 2006 and passed away from acute leukemia shortly after. Following his demise, millions of young Catholics journeyed to Assisi to pay respects to Carlo. He was beatified in 2020 after a miraculous healing in Brazil was attributed to his intercession, with a second miracle recognized last year involving the recovery of a Costa Rican student from severe head trauma.
Thousands are expected to attend the canonization ceremony today, honoring Carlo’s legacy of using technology to share his Catholic beliefs. Pope Francis championed Carlo’s path to sainthood, recognizing his significance in engaging young Catholics amidst the challenges of the digital era.
In his first canonization ceremony, Pope Leo will declare Carlo a saint alongside Pier Giorgio Frassati. Both ceremonies, initially planned for earlier this year, were delayed due to the passing of Pope Francis. Francis highlighted Carlo’s adeptness in leveraging communication technologies to propagate gospel values and beauty, steering away from consumerism and materialism.