Italian Teen To Become the First Millennial Saint

Italian teenager and computer prodigy, Carlo Acutis, is set to become the first Catholic Church’s millennial saint.

An English-born Italian teenager is set to become the first millennial saint, the Vatican announced on May 23.

Pope Francis cleared the path for Carlo Acutis' canonization, the Catholic Church's official recognition of a person as a saint or a holy person known for "heroic… pic.twitter.com/a3SmyWqrtx

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Acutis, who earned the nickname “God’s influencer”, unfortunately passed away from leukemia in 2006 at the young age of 15.

Prior to his premature death, Acutis was a devoted Catholic, and used his computer skills in order to spread the awareness of Catholicism.

When it comes to becoming a saint, people typically have to have two miracles associated with them prior to being canonized.

CNN expands on the miracles associated with Acutis:

The latest miracle attributed to Acutis relates to the reported healing of a girl from Costa Rica who had suffered a head trauma after falling from her bicycle in Florence, Italy, where she was studying. Her mother said she prayed for her daughter’s recovery at the tomb of Acutis in Assisi.

Acutis was beatified and declared “blessed” after his first miracle in 2020, when he reportedly healed a Brazilian boy who had a birth defect in his pancreas that left him unable to eat food normally.

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In addition to the miracles, the Pope must then meet with he cardinals in order to agree on Acutis’ sainthood, and establish a date for the canonization.

Many see this story as an excellent source for connection with younger generations and the Catholic Church.