Pope Leo XIV has declared September 7 as the day Carlo Acutis, a tech-loving teenager, will be named the first Millennial saint. The announcement came during the Pope’s first public consistory in June, following his election in May, where he approved eight new saints. Acutis’s canonization, originally scheduled for April by Pope Francis, was postponed after Francis’s passing on April 21, but his legacy continues to inspire.
Raised in Milan after being born in London to Italian parents, Acutis was deeply committed to his Catholic faith. He received his first communion at seven and gave his money to the poor as a child. As a teen, he prepared meals for the homeless and used his tech skills to spread his beliefs, earning the title “God’s influencer.” His life ended at 15 in 2006 due to leukemia, but his kindness left a lasting mark.
The Vatican credits Acutis with two miracles. A Brazilian boy, Matheus Vianna, was born with a dangerous condition called annular pancreas. His mother sought help from a priest blessing Acutis’s body, who touched the toddler with a piece of his clothing. The family says the boy was healed. In another case, Valeria Valverde from Costa Rica recovered from a brain hemorrhage after her mother prayed at Acutis’s tomb, with doctors finding no trace of the injury.
These miracles set the stage for Acutis’s sainthood, a process nearly two decades in the works. His body, preserved in Italy’s Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, stands as a symbol of his impact. The delay after Pope Francis’s death paused Church plans, but Pope Leo’s announcement ensures Acutis will be canonized alongside Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died at 24 serving the sick.
Acutis’s life shows how a young person can blend faith, technology, and generosity to make a difference. His canonization on September 7 will be a historic moment, celebrating a teen whose compassion and modern spirit continue to inspire communities worldwide to live with kindness and purpose.
