Carlo Acutis, a teenager who died in 2006, will officially become a saint on September 7, Pope Leo XIV announced. He will be the first Millennial to be canonized by the Catholic Church.
Carlo was born in London and raised in Milan, Italy. From a young age, he was deeply devoted to his faith. He took his first communion at just seven years old and was known for helping those in need. As he got older, he spent his free time cooking meals for the homeless and giving money to the poor. Because of his passion for computers and spreading religious messages online, many people began calling him “God’s influencer.”
Sadly, Carlo died from leukemia at the age of 15. Since then, the Catholic Church has been considering him for sainthood, especially after investigating two reported miracles linked to him.
The first miracle involved a young boy in Brazil named Matheus Vianna. He had a serious condition from birth called annular pancreas, and his mother turned to the church for help. A priest placed a piece of Carlo’s clothing on the boy and prayed for healing. After that, the boy recovered completely and never had issues again.
The second miracle happened to a woman in Costa Rica named Valeria Valverde. She suffered a brain hemorrhage after a bad accident and was in very critical condition. Her mother prayed at Carlo’s tomb, and soon after, Valeria began to improve. Doctors later confirmed her brain injury had completely healed, something they couldn’t explain.
Carlo’s body has been preserved in Italy for the past 19 years at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. He was originally supposed to be declared a saint in April 2025 by Pope Francis, but those plans changed when the Pope passed away just days before the event.
Now, under Pope Leo XIV, Carlo’s canonization is back on track and will take place alongside another young man, Pier Giorgio Frassati, who also died young while helping others. Carlo’s story has inspired many around the world, especially young people, for his kindness, strong faith, and modern approach to sharing religion.
