Meet Carlo Acutis, the Late Teen Gamer Set to Become The First Millenial Catholic Saint This Year

Pope Leo XIV announced that Italian teenager Carlo Acutis, the world's first millennial saint, will be canonized this year on September 7.

The ceremony was initially planned for April, but the death of Pope Francis postponed it indefinitely. Nearly two decades after his death, the Vatican confirmed a second miracle attributed to him, clearing the way for him to become a recognized catholic saint.

Born May 3, 1991, in London, England, to Italian parents, Acutis was baptized at the Church of Our Lady of Dolours in the Chelsea neighborhood before moving to Milan in September of that same year. At age seven, he received First Communion and, by that time, was already attending daily Mass. On his walks to school, he greeted caretakers and workers by name, and he would donate his pocket money to classmates in need.

Acutis taught himself the Java and C++ programming languages and built websites for his parish and school. In 2004, he began work on a digital exhibition cataloguing reported Eucharistic miracles worldwide. Launching the site on October 4, 2006, just days before his death, the project included documentation of over 100 miracles, some sources noting as many as 187.

In early October 2006, Carlo fell ill and was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. A hospital in Monza admitted him, and despite his deteriorating health, he reportedly offered his suffering for the pope and the Church. He advised visitors, "There are people who suffer much more than me," before slipping into a coma and dying on October 12 at age 15.

Carlo's sainthood cause opened in Milan on October 12, 2012. Declared "Venerable" in 2018, he was beatified in Assisi on October 10, 2020, after the Vatican recognized his first miracle, involving a Brazilian child who had recovered from a pancreatic condition.

Carlo's remains were moved in 2019 to the Sanctuary of the Spoliation in Assisi. His body, clad in a tracksuit and sneakers, is displayed encased in wax and behind glass for veneration. On May 23, 2024, the Vatican confirmed a second miracle: a 21-year-old Costa Rican woman, Valeria Valverde, recovered fully from a severe brain hemorrhage after her mother prayed at Actutis' tomb in Assisi. The tomb has become a pilgrimage site, especially during the Church's 2025 Holy Year, drawing thousands, including many young Catholics.

Acutis has been called "God's influencer," a nod to his tech-savvy evangelization. His website, still live, features research on Eucharistic miracles with narratives and images designed to deepen understanding of the real presence in the Eucharist. Institutions worldwide have adopted his exhibition, and his life has inspired media adaptations, including comics, documentaries, video games, and even LEGO-based storytelling.