The Catholic Church is preparing to canonize Carlo Acutis, a young Italian boy who passed away from leukemia in 2006 at the age of just 15. He will become the first “Millennial Saint,” marking a historic moment for the Church and for young Catholics around the world.
Who Was Carlo Acutis?
Carlo Acutis was born in London in 1991 but raised in Milan, Italy. From a very young age, he showed deep faith and a natural devotion to God. Unlike many of his peers, Carlo used his love for technology to spread the message of Christianity. He became known for creating a website that catalogued and explained Eucharistic miracles around the world.
While he enjoyed video games, computers, and coding like many teenagers, Carlo stood out because he dedicated his gifts to something greater. He often said, “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.”
His Illness and Death
At the age of 15, Carlo was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. Despite his illness, he offered his sufferings for the Pope and the Church, showing incredible maturity and faith for someone so young. He passed away on October 12, 2006.
Following his death, stories of his holiness spread quickly. Many who knew him described him as kind, humble, and unusually devoted to his faith for his age.
The remains of Blessed Carlo Acutis lay in his tomb in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore
The Road to Sainthood
The path to sainthood in the Catholic Church requires the recognition of miracles attributed to the intercession of the candidate. Carlo was beatified in 2020 after the Church confirmed a miracle linked to him. With a second miracle now recognized, Pope Francis has cleared the way for Carlo’s canonization.
When this takes place, Carlo Acutis will officially become the first saint from the Millennial generation.
Why Carlo’s Canonization Matters
Carlo’s story is powerful because he represents a new kind of saint for a new generation. He lived in the digital age, loved computers, and faced the same challenges as today’s youth—but he found a way to use his talents to serve God and inspire others.
His canonization sends a strong message: holiness is possible for everyone, even young people growing up in a fast, modern world. It shows that sainthood is not limited to priests, nuns, or people from centuries past—it is something that can be lived out today.
A Legacy for the Digital Age
Carlo Acutis is often called the “Patron Saint of the Internet” by admirers, because of his efforts to use technology for evangelization. In a time when the internet is often associated with negativity and distractions, Carlo’s example shows how it can also be a powerful tool for good.
His life is a reminder that faith and technology do not have to be in conflict. Instead, they can work together to bring hope, inspiration, and light into the world.
Carlo’s showcase achievement was a self-created website documenting more than 136 so-called Eucharistic miracles
Carlo Acutis (pictured) smiling at the camera while sporting an AC Milan home kit from the 1990s
His parents were secular Catholics, his mother Antonia (pictured) claimed, that from infancy he attended mass every day, taking communion at age seven
However He is not the youngest person to become a saint. Italian farmer’s daughter Maria Goretti was 11 when she was stabbed to death while fighting to protect her virginity from a would-be rapist.
Now a patron saint of chastity and forgiveness, she died in 1902 and was canonised 48 years later.
British Monsignor Anthony Figueiredo, who has written a biography of Carlo and guards his relics on their overseas tours, is sure of his saintliness. ‘A lot of people are critical and I think part of that is down to Carlo’s age,’ he concedes. ‘And yes, the church does want to put forward these youthful saints, so that the young follow their example.’
