The Catholic Church’s first millennial saint

Carlo Acutis, 15, an Italian teenager who died of leukemia in 2006, was canonized by the Catholic Church yesterday, making him the church’s first millennial saint.

It was also the first saint-making ceremony presided over by the new Pope Leo XIV.

A rare honor
Canonization, the process of making a deceased person a saint, usually takes centuries for the church to decide. Another young saint, Pier Giorgio Frassatti, 24, was also canonized on Sunday. He died in 1925.

Meanwhile, Acutis’s sainthood came unusually quickly: only 12 years after his death. 

Nicknamed “God’s influencer,” he had used his computer skills to create a website documenting Catholic miracles. He gained traction among young people for his relatable image—jeans, T-shirt, sneakers, and a love of video games.

He reportedly healed a Brazilian boy with a birth defect and a Costa Rican girl from head trauma.

Nearly a million people visited Acutis’ tomb in Assisi, Italy, in 2024, said Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino. Shrines dedicated to him are now found globally, including one in Pennsylvania.

Acutis has drawn more young Catholics to the church. CNN notes that recent surveys suggest a rise in interest in Catholicism among Gen Z in the US and Europe.