On September 7, 2025, the Catholic Church canonized Carlo Acutis, recognizing him as the first millennial saint. The canonization took place in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, and was presided over by Pope Leo XIV.
Carlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991, in London and grew up in Milan, Italy. He was known for his deep devotion to the Eucharist, which he described as his “highway to heaven.” Alongside his spiritual life, he was interested in technology, particularly computer programming.
He used his skills to create a website cataloguing Eucharistic miracles worldwide, work that later earned him the nickname “God’s Influencer” and led to him being referred to as a potential patron of the internet.
He died on October 12, 2006, at the age of 15, after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. Before his death, he offered his suffering for the Pope and the Church. Following his death, devotion to Carlo spread widely, particularly among young Catholics who saw in him a model of holiness in contemporary life.
The process of canonization unfolded over nearly two decades. In 2013, a healing attributed to his intercession was recognized: a boy in Brazil with a rare pancreatic condition recovered fully after prayers were offered to Carlo. This miracle paved the way for his beatification, which took place on October 10, 2020, in Assisi.
A second miracle was later recognized in 2022, involving a young woman in Costa Rica who suffered a traumatic brain injury after a bicycle accident. She recovered unexpectedly after her family prayed for Carlo’s intercession. The approval of this second miracle cleared the way for canonization.
Initially, the canonization ceremony was scheduled for April 27, 2025, during the Vatican’s Jubilee of Teenagers. However, the death of Pope Francis on April 9, 2025, led to the postponement of the event. After the election of Pope Leo XIV, a new date of September 7, 2025, was confirmed. The postponement increased global interest, with pilgrimages to Carlo’s tomb in Assisi growing in the months leading up to the ceremony.
The September canonization was attended by thousands of young people, clergy, and pilgrims from around the world. Pope Leo XIV emphasized in his homily that Carlo’s life showed how holiness could be lived in the modern era, including through the use of technology. The pope described him as a figure who demonstrated that even the internet could be used as a “highway to heaven.”
Carlo’s is the youngest person of the modern era to be canonized who was not a martyr, having died at only 15.He is the first millennial to be canonized, marking a generational milestone for the Church. Also, his work with technology has positioned him as a symbol of how digital tools can be applied to religious practice, making him particularly relevant to young Catholics.
Carlo’s remains are housed in Assisi, where his tomb has become a site of pilgrimage.
With his canonization complete, Saint Carlo Acutis becomes an official figure of veneration worldwide. His feast day is October 12, the date of his death. Devotional materials, prayers, and educational programs centered on his life are expected to expand in Catholic communities globally.