Historic Day: Carlo Acutis Canonized as First Millennial Saint at Vatican
Historic Day: Carlo Acutis Canonized as First Millennial Saint at Vatican
Today, September 7, 2025, marks a historic moment for the Catholic Church as Carlo Acutis, dubbed ‘God’s Influencer,’ is officially canonized as the first millennial saint. Tens of thousands of worshippers have gathered in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican to witness Pope Leo XIV lead the solemn ceremony, also canonizing Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Acutis, who tragically died of leukaemia in 2006 at just 15, is celebrated for his profound faith and pioneering use of technology to spread the Gospel. Born in London in 1991 and raised in Milan, Carlo taught himself basic coding, leveraging his computing talents to create a website documenting Eucharistic miracles, a digital legacy now available in nearly 20 languages.
His story, a unique blend of traditional piety and modern digital evangelism, has resonated deeply with Catholic youth worldwide, earning him comparisons to figures like Francis of Assisi. The Vatican officially attributed two miracles to Acutis: the healing of a Brazilian child suffering from a pancreatic malformation and the recovery of a Costa Rican student injured in an an accident, both occurring after prayers for his intercession.
Carlo’s mother, Antonia Salzano, has spoken of her son’s unique ability to see the individuality in every person. Dressed in his iconic jeans and Nike trainers, Acutis’s body rests in a glass-walled tomb in Assisi, a medieval city and pilgrimage site in central Italy, visited by hundreds of thousands annually.
This canonisation, a cause initially championed by the late Pope Francis and now overseen by Pope Leo XIV, underscores the Church’s recognition of Acutis’s relevance in attracting young Catholics and navigating the digital age. Pope Francis had previously highlighted Carlo’s awareness of technology’s potential for both good and ill, a sentiment echoed by Pope Leo XIV in addressing the challenges of artificial intelligence.
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