15-Year Old Carlo Acutis to Become First Millennial Saint

Carlo Acutis, a London-born teenager whose life was marked by deep faith and digital innovation, is poised to become the first millennial saint in the Catholic Church.

Nearly two decades after his death from leukemia at the age of 15, Acutis will be canonized on April 27 in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, following the recognition of a second miracle attributed to his intercession.

His story has captured the imagination of Catholics worldwide, not only for his youthful devotion but for the way he brought Catholicism into the digital era, earning him the nickname “God’s influencer” and “patron saint of the internet”.

The process of becoming a saint in the Catholic Church is rigorous and unfolds in four main stages. It begins with the title “Servant of God,” when a postulator gathers evidence of the candidate’s virtuous life and presents it to the Vatican.

Carlo’s path started with his early and passionate embrace of Catholicism, attending daily Mass, praying the rosary, and serving his community.

What set him apart was his use of technology: he built websites for parishes and Catholic organizations, and created a now-famous online catalogue of Eucharistic miracles, which has since been translated into multiple languages and inspired believers around the world.

The next stage, “Venerable,” is conferred when the Pope recognizes the candidate’s “heroic virtues.” Carlo was declared venerable in 2018, and his remains were moved to a shrine in Assisi, reflecting his devotion to St. Francis. Beatification, the third stage, requires a verified miracle.

For Carlo, this came in the form of a medically inexplicable healing of a Brazilian boy who touched one of Carlo’s relics and was cured of a congenital illness. The Vatican confirmed this miracle in 2019, leading to Carlo’s beatification in 2020.

Canonization, the final step, requires a second miracle. In Carlo’s case, the healing of a Costa Rican girl who suffered severe head trauma was attributed to prayers for his intercession. After a thorough investigation, Pope Francis recognized this second miracle in May 2024, paving the way for Carlo’s sainthood.

While the canonization process has evolved over centuries, with more saints declared in recent decades, Carlo Acutis stands out as a modern figure whose faith and digital outreach resonate with a new generation.