15-year-old 'God's influencer' to become first millennial saint
Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager known as 'God's influencer' is set to become the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint after his cause for canonisation was approved by the Vatican.
Acutis, who died of leukaemia in 2006 at the age of 15 in Monza, Italy, was granted sainthood following a gathering of Pope Francis and the College of Cardinals in Rome.
The Vatican announced on July 1 that Pope Francis decreed the canonisation would proceed after the cardinals voted in favour of Acutis becoming the first millennial saint, along with 14 others.
Born in London to Italian parents, Acutis was raised in Milan. He was known for his dedication to his parish, managing its website and later working with a Vatican-based academy. Acutis earned the nickname "God's influencer" for his use of computing skills to promote the Catholic faith.
The path to sainthood typically requires two miracles attributed to the candidate. Each miracle undergoes a thorough investigation.
In 2020, Acutis was declared "blessed" following his first recognised miracle, the healing of a Brazilian boy with a pancreatic defect after his mother prayed to Acutis. His second miracle involved a Costa Rican girl recovering from head trauma in Florence after her mother prayed at Acutis' tomb in Assisi.
Pope Francis cleared the way for Acutis to become the first saint of the millennial generation after meeting with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, head of the Vatican's saint-making department, in May.
The official proclamation of his sainthood is expected to occur in front of thousands during the Catholic Church’s Jubilee celebration in 2025 at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
