Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager known as “God’s influencer,” is on the path to becoming the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint. This follows Pope Francis’ recognition of a second miracle attributed to Acutis, a computer prodigy and devout Catholic who passed away from leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15.
Acutis, who was both a gamer and a computer programmer, dedicated his technological talents to promoting the Catholic faith. Among his notable achievements was the creation of a website that documented various miracles. Born in London in 1991, Acutis moved to Milan, Italy with his family. Despite his parents’ lack of religious fervor, his faith was significantly influenced by his Polish nanny. After his death, his body was transferred to Assisi, Italy, where it is now enshrined alongside other relics linked to him.
The path to sainthood typically requires two recognized miracles. The latest miracle attributed to Acutis involves the healing of a Costa Rican girl who suffered a severe head trauma after falling from her bicycle while studying in Florence, Italy. Her mother prayed at Acutis’ tomb in Assisi, and the girl reportedly recovered.
Acutis was beatified and declared “blessed” in 2020 following the first recognized miracle, which involved the healing of a Brazilian boy with a pancreatic birth defect that prevented him from eating normally. With the second miracle now recognized, the next step involves Pope Francis convening a meeting of cardinals to discuss Acutis’ sainthood and set a date for his canonization.
Acutis’ story resonates with the Catholic Church’s efforts to engage younger generations in a digital age. Born in 1991, he is considered a millennial, a generation born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s. Friends and family remember him for his love of video games such as Halo, Super Mario, and Pokémon, blending his faith with contemporary interests.
Source: ABC7.com
