Vatican City: In a historic moment for the Catholic Church and the digital generation, Pope Leo XIV has announced that Carlo Acutis, a teenage tech whiz with a profound devotion to the Eucharist, will be canonised on September 7, becoming the first saint of the millennial generation.
The long-awaited proclamation was made on Friday during a meeting of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, where Pope Leo confirmed the new date for Acutis’ canonisation following months of anticipation and delay.
Carlo Acutis, born in London in 1991 and raised in Milan, Italy, lived a short but spiritually rich life before succumbing to leukemia at the age of 15 in 2006. Despite his youth, Carlo earned a reputation for deep faith, charitable works, and a remarkable talent for technology, using his computer skills to spread devotion to the Eucharist through an online catalogue of miracles—a project he began at age 11.
Often referred to as the "patron saint of the internet" by admirers, Carlo’s canonisation will mark the first time a person who grew up using the internet and modern technology will be formally declared a saint by the Church.
Acutis was beatified in October 2020 after the Vatican recognized a miraculous healing attributed to his intercession. A second miracle, required for canonisation, was approved earlier this year, clearing the way for the formal declaration of sainthood.
Originally, his canonisation was scheduled for April 27, 2025, but plans were abruptly halted due to the death of Pope Francis in March. Pope Leo, elected shortly afterward, has now revived the process and placed the canonisation ceremony on the Church’s calendar for early September.
The canonisation ceremony will be held in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, and is expected to draw thousands of young Catholics, tech enthusiasts, and pilgrims from around the world. The event is being hailed as a symbolic bridge between faith and the digital age, with Carlo’s story resonating deeply with younger generations navigating spirituality in a hyperconnected world.
Carlo’s simple yet profound motto, "The Eucharist is my highway to heaven," has become a slogan for youth spirituality and Eucharistic devotion. His incorrupt body, which lies in a glass tomb in Assisi, continues to draw a steady stream of visitors and has inspired numerous vocations and conversions.
With his upcoming canonisation, the Church formally recognizes Carlo Acutis not just as a model of virtue for the young, but as a universal witness of holiness in the 21st century.
As Pope Leo stated during the announcement, “Carlo reminds us that holiness is not a thing of the past, nor is it reserved for the old. It is alive, modern, and within the reach of every young heart that seeks God with sincerity.”