Vatican City: In a historic move reflecting the vibrancy of youthful holiness across generations, Pope Leo XIV has officially announced that Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati will be canonized together on September 7, 2025. The decision was revealed during the first Ordinary Public Consistory of Pope Leo’s pontificate, held Friday morning at the Vatican, where cardinals gave their formal consent for the canonizations of eight Blesseds.

The joint canonization of Acutis and Frassati — two iconic figures beloved by Catholics worldwide — is being hailed as a powerful message to the youth of today. Acutis, a 15-year-old computer-savvy teen from the early 2000s known for his Eucharistic devotion, and Frassati, a university student and social activist who died in 1925, represent two different centuries, yet are united by their deep love for Christ and service to others.

Pope Leo's announcement fulfills a wish previously expressed by his predecessor, Pope Francis. At a General Audience held on November 20, 2024, Pope Francis had received an enthusiastic response from thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square when he first shared the news of their upcoming sainthood. Originally, Acutis’s canonization was scheduled for April 27, coinciding with the Jubilee of Teenagers, while Frassati’s was set for August 3 during the Jubilee of Youth. However, both were postponed following the sudden death of Pope Francis on April 21.

With today’s announcement, the uncertainty surrounding the canonizations has been resolved. Pope Leo’s decision to canonize these two laymen together is being seen as symbolic — a bridging of eras and a testament to the enduring relevance of sanctity, especially among the youth.

In addition to the September canonizations, Pope Leo set October 20, 2025, as the date for the canonization of seven other Blesseds, each with a remarkable legacy:
• Archbishop Ignatius Shoukrallah Maloyan, martyred during the Armenian Genocide in 1915.
• Peter To Rot, a lay catechist from Papua New Guinea, martyred in 1945 for defying Japanese occupation forces. He will become the country’s first canonized saint.
• Vincenza Maria Poloni, Italian founder of the Sisters of Mercy of Verona.
• Maria del Monte Carmelo Rendiles, Venezuelan founder of the Servants of Jesus.
• Maria Troncatti, a missionary of the Salesian Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
• Bartolo Longo, Italian lawyer turned apostle of the Rosary and founder of the Marian Shrine at Pompeii.
• José Gregorio Hernández, a Venezuelan physician known as “the doctor of the poor,” revered for his medical care of the marginalized and his Franciscan spirituality.

The canonization of these diverse figures — martyrs, religious founders, doctors, and laypeople — illustrates the global and varied nature of sanctity in the Catholic Church. From Armenia to Venezuela, from Papua New Guinea to Italy, these men and women have left lasting spiritual legacies in their communities and beyond.

With the canonization of Carlo Acutis, the Church will formally recognize its first saint born in the digital age — a young man who used his tech skills to create a virtual exhibition on Eucharistic miracles. His motto, “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven,” has resonated deeply with Catholic youth worldwide.

Pier Giorgio Frassati, known for his love of the poor and mountains, once said, “Charity is not enough; we need social reform.” A man of action and deep faith, his beatification by Pope John Paul II in 1990 branded him the “Man of the Eight Beatitudes.”

Now, both will be raised to the altars on the same day, reminding the Church that sanctity knows no age, century, or profession — it simply requires a heart on fire for Christ.