Italian Teenager Set to Become First Millennial Saint

Pope Francis has attributed a second miracle to Carlo Acutis, moving him closer to canonization, the Vatican announced on Thursday.

Carlo Acutis, often referred to as the patron saint of the internet among Roman Catholics, passed away from leukaemia at the age of 15 in 2006. Known for his computer skills, Carlo used the internet to share his faith.

After his death, Antonia Acutis received messages from people worldwide claiming medical miracles, such as cures for infertility and cancer, after praying to Carlo. 

Carlo’s path to sainthood began in 2020, when the Diocese of Assisi petitioned the Vatican. In February of that year, Pope Francis attributed the healing of a boy with a malformed pancreas to Carlo, marking his beatification. For canonization, a second miracle was required.

The second recognised miracle involves a woman from Costa Rica named Liliana, who prayed at Carlo’s tomb in Assisi on July 8, 2022. Liliana’s daughter Valeria had suffered severe head trauma from a bicycle accident in Florence on July 2. She required critical brain surgery with a low survival chance. Liliana’s secretary began praying to Blessed Carlo, and Liliana herself made a pilgrimage to Carlo’s tomb. That same day, Valeria began breathing spontaneously, followed by improvements in movement and speech. A CAT scan on July 18 showed the haemorrhage had disappeared, and Valeria was moved to rehabilitation on August 11. On September 2, Liliana and Valeria returned to Assisi to thank Blessed Carlo.