In Vatican City, history was made on Sunday when Carlo Acutis, a British-born Italian teenager fondly remembered as “God’s Influencer,” was officially declared a Catholic saint. The canonisation ceremony was presided over by Pope Leo and witnessed by an overwhelming crowd of nearly 70,000 young worshippers who had travelled from different corners of the world. At just 15 years old, Acutis lost his life to leukaemia in October 2006, but in the short span of his years, he managed to inspire millions by combining his deep Catholic faith with his passion for technology.
Born in 1991, Acutis belonged to the millennial generation—defined as those born between 1981 and 1996. Unlike many of his peers, he channelled his early mastery of computer coding into building websites dedicated to spreading the Catholic faith and documenting Eucharistic miracles. His work quickly gained global recognition, and after his death, he became a symbol of how modern technology could serve the Church’s spiritual mission. His canonisation has now placed him alongside revered Catholic figures such as Mother Teresa and St. Francis of Assisi, ensuring that his influence will echo for generations to come.
During the ceremony, Pope Leo also canonised Pier Giorgio Frassati, an Italian youth who died of polio in the 1920s and is remembered for his devotion to charitable service. Addressing the massive gathering at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo described both Acutis and Frassati as extraordinary examples of youthful holiness and selflessness. “All of you, all of us together, are called to be saints,” he told the crowd, urging the young faithful to model their lives on values of love, sacrifice, and service.
The pontiff went on to reflect on Acutis’s own words, reminding those present that the young coder often said, “Heaven has always been waiting for us, and to love tomorrow is to give the best of ourselves today.” Pope Leo stressed that the canonisation of Acutis and Frassati was not merely an honour for the two but an invitation to every believer—especially the youth—not to waste their lives but to elevate them toward divine purpose.
Carlo Acutis’s path to sainthood has been closely followed by Catholic communities across the globe, especially young people who see in him a relatable figure—a teenager who loved coding, video games, and soccer, yet lived his life with extraordinary devotion. Although his canonisation had initially been planned for April, the ceremony was postponed following the death of Pope Francis on April 21. This occasion marked the first canonisation led by Pope Leo since becoming the pontiff, making it an especially significant moment in Church history.
The canonisation has already had a profound emotional impact. Young men and women present at the event spoke of their joy and pride in seeing someone from their own generation elevated to sainthood. Many described Acutis as a role model who proved that faith and modern life could coexist in harmony. His tomb, relocated to Assisi in accordance with his wishes, has become a prominent pilgrimage site, attracting thousands of visitors daily who come to honour his memory and seek inspiration from his life.
Through his canonisation, Carlo Acutis has now become the first saint of the millennial generation. His legacy continues to resonate not only as a testimony of youthful holiness but also as a reminder that the tools of the digital age can be harnessed for higher, spiritual purposes. His life and message remain a beacon for young Catholics everywhere, blending faith with technology in a way that speaks powerfully to the challenges and possibilities of the modern world.
