Vatican City: The Vatican is gearing up for one of the most anticipated canonizations of the 2025 Jubilee Year, as Blessed Carlo Acutis, the “Cyber Apostle of Divine Mercy,” and Pier Giorgio Frassati, the young Italian Dominican who championed social justice, prepare to be declared saints tomorrow, Sunday, September 7.
Carlo Acutis will enter history as the first person canonized in the 21st century as a “living dead saint”, celebrated for his innovative use of technology to spread devotion to the Eucharist. Pier Giorgio Frassati, despite his privileged upbringing in Turin, dedicated his brief life to social justice and charitable work before succumbing to polio, leaving a lasting legacy of compassion and service.
The canonization ceremony will be held in the courtyard of St. Peter’s Basilica, beginning at 10 a.m. local time (1:30 p.m. IST), with a solemn Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV. The event will bring together cardinals, metropolitans, bishops, priests, and hundreds of thousands of faithful in person, while millions more worldwide will join via live broadcasts and social media platforms.
In preparation for the historic event, large banners of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati have been unveiled in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, symbolizing the Church’s recognition of their spiritual and social contributions. The faithful, long anticipating Carlo Acutis’s canonization, see him as a modern exemplar of Eucharistic devotion in the digital age, while Frassati’s life continues to inspire young people to combine faith with social action.
Tomorrow’s ceremony also marks the first canonization celebrated by Pope Leo XIV since his election as the successor of Peter, adding an extra layer of historical significance to the proceedings.
The Vatican’s preparations highlight not only the grandeur of the event but also the Church’s commitment to celebrating saints whose lives resonate with contemporary challenges and opportunities for faith, technology, and service.