The First Millennial Saint

Image Credit: CNS Photo/Courtesy Cause of Carlo Acutis

The Church celebrates the feast of Saint Carlo Acutis on October 12, the day he died in 2006. Pope Leo XIV canonised him on September 7, 2025. He is the first millennial to become a Catholic saint. Therefore, young Catholics everywhere see him as a close friend and guide. In addition, his story shows that holiness fits every age.

Carlo was born on May 3, 1991, in London to Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano. Soon afterwards, the family settled in Milan, Italy. He attended Istituto Leone XIII, a Jesuit school. Meanwhile, he took an active part in parish life. As a boy, he loved computers and friends. Yet his deepest love was always the Eucharist.

Carlo called the Eucharist his “highway to heaven.” For this reason, he attended Mass daily and spent time in adoration. He also prayed the Rosary often. Furthermore, he once said that the Virgin Mary was the only woman in his life. In this way, his faith stayed simple, steady and joyful.

Carlo also had a gift for technology. He created a website that listed confirmed Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions. As a result, people call him the “patron saint of the Internet” and “God’s influencer.” However, a Notre Dame professor notes that he was only mildly dedicated to technology. Therefore, the real secret of his life was prayer, not screens.

In early October 2006, Carlo fell ill with what seemed like the flu. Then doctors diagnosed acute leukaemia. A few days later, he died on October 12, in Monza, Italy, at the age of 15. He accepted his suffering with deep faith and offered it for the Church and the Pope. Today, his tomb stands in Assisi.

His path to sainthood moved quickly. First, he became a Servant of God in 2013. Next, Pope Francis declared him venerable in 2018. Then, on October 10, 2020, he was beatified at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, with Cardinal Agostino Vallini presiding for Pope Francis. Finally, after a second miracle, Pope Francis approved his canonisation.

The first miracle involved a young girl. A seven-year-old child with a pancreatic defect prayed for his intercession, and the defect healed shortly afterwards. In addition, his mother credits him with the birth of twins exactly four years after his death. Naturally, the Church treats such claims with care. Nevertheless, these signs strengthened devotion to him around the world.

On September 7, 2025, Pope Leo XIV canonised Carlo Acutis in Saint Peter’s Square. He did so alongside Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died in 1925. Tens of thousands of worshippers attended, and Carlo’s mother and siblings joined them. In his homily, the Pope noted that both young saints loved God through simple acts, such as daily Mass, prayer and adoration. He also urged young people to aim their lives upwards and make them masterpieces.

What can we learn from Saint Carlo Acutis? First, simple habits shape holiness. Next, we can use technology to share the Gospel. Moreover, the Eucharist can become the centre of daily life. Therefore, we can ask him to help young people find Christ. He is a patron of computer programmers and youth.

You can honour him this week in simple ways. First, attend Mass and spend a few quiet minutes before the Blessed Sacrament. Next, pray a decade of the Rosary, since October is the month of the Holy Rosary. Then share one uplifting post online. For further reading, visit Britannica, Catholic Online and Jesuits Global.