Vatican Prepares to Canonize Carlo Acutis, the First ‘Digital Saint’

In a historic announcement, Pope Francis has declared that Carlo Acutis, a London-born teenager known for his deep faith and digital expertise, will be canonized in April 2024. This decision will make Acutis the first millennial saint of the Roman Catholic Church, according to statements made by the Vatican. His canonization is scheduled to coincide with the Jubilee for Adolescents from April 25 to 27, 2024.

Carlo Acutis, who passed away from leukemia at the age of 15 in 2006, has been attributed with two miracles by the church. The first miracle, which led to his beatification in 2020, involved the healing of a Brazilian child diagnosed with a congenital disease. The second miracle, confirmed in 2024, involved the recovery of a university student in Florence who suffered from severe cranial trauma.

Acutis was born in London to Italian parents and spent most of his life in Italy. Despite his short life, he made significant contributions to the Catholic community through his work documenting Eucharistic miracles online. His efforts earned him the informal title of «God’s influencer» as he utilized his technological skills to develop websites for Catholic organizations and document religious miracles. A website he launched just days before his passing has now been translated into multiple languages and continues to serve as a resource for believers worldwide.

In addition to Carlo Acutis, Pope Francis announced the forthcoming canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young Italian man known for his charitable work and who died of polio in the 1920s. Frassati’s canonization is scheduled to take place in late July 2024.

The process of canonization in the Catholic Church involves a thorough investigation of miracles, which are considered acts beyond natural laws, attributed to a candidate. Saints are believed to intercede with God on behalf of people who pray to them, with miracles typically involving inexplicable medical recoveries. Acutis’ recognition as a saint underscores the church’s acknowledgment of the influence and importance of technology within modern faith practices.