Pope Leo XIV Announces Canonization Date for Carlo Acutis

VATICAN CITY, June 13 (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has announced that Carlo Acutis, the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint, will be canonized on September 7. This announcement was made during a meeting with cardinals to set the date for new saints.

Acutis, who passed away from leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, was initially scheduled for canonization on April 27. However, the ceremony was delayed following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.

The upcoming canonization ceremony is expected to draw thousands of young Catholics to St. Peter’s Square. Acutis, who has gained the nickname “God’s influencer,” is known for using his computer skills to promote his faith and document eucharistic miracles.

His mother, Antonia Salzano, described her son as an ordinary child who prioritized his faith. “Carlo was an ordinary child like others,” she said. “But his extraordinary quality was his ability to open his heart to Jesus.”

To achieve sainthood, the Church requires verification of a holy life and typically two miracles attributed to the candidate’s intercession. Acutis is credited with healing a Brazilian boy born with a severe pancreatic defect and a young woman in Costa Rica who suffered a traumatic head injury.

During the canonization event, Pope Leo will also recognize Pier Giorgio Frassati, another young saint known for his charitable works, who died of polio in 1925. This marks an important moment for the Church as it opens a new chapter in recognizing the contributions of youth within the faith.