Carlo Acutis, a teenager born in London, is set to become the first millennial to be canonised as a saint.
This decision, made by the Vatican, is expected to inspire more young individuals to embrace the Catholic faith.
Living in Milan, Carlo dedicated himself to managing his parish website and earned the moniker “God’s influencer” due to his unwavering religious convictions and his use of computer skills to disseminate the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Following his passing at the age of 15 in 2006 due to leukemia, Carlo’s mother, Antonia, received reports from people worldwide who claimed to have experienced medical miracles after praying to her son.
His body rests in a glass tomb in Assisi, where he is displayed wearing jeans and a pair of Nike trainers.
Pope Francis has recently paved the way for Carlo to become the first millennial saint by attributing a second miracle to him.
Carlos gained international recognition when a three-year-old Brazilian boy was “cured” of a birth defect, which had hindered his ability to consume food, after coming into contact with Carlo’s relic.
In 2020, Carlo was beatified, marking the initial step towards sainthood, during a ceremony held in an Italian basilica.
The Pope approved his second miracle after a meeting with the Vatican’s department responsible for canonization on Thursday.
This miracle involved Valeria, a 21-year-old woman from Costa Rica who was studying in Italy. She experienced a head injury during a cycling accident and was subsequently “healed,” according to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
Valeria required extensive brain surgery, including a craniotomy and the removal of the right occipital bone, to alleviate pressure on her brain. Doctors had cautioned that her chances of survival were low.
In a pilgrimage to Carlo’s grave in Assisi, Valeria’s mother, Liliana, prayed for her daughter’s recovery. Remarkably, on the same day, Valeria began breathing on her own, and within 24 hours, she regained the ability to move her arms and speak.
Just ten days after her mother’s visit, Valeria was discharged from intensive care.
Following the miraculous recovery, a subsequent CAT scan revealed the disappearance of her hemorrhage, prompting her transfer to rehabilitation therapy. While the Vatican has affirmed Carlo’s canonization, specifics regarding the ceremony’s timing remain undisclosed.
