Desk Reports:
The Catholic Church has declared a teenager who died of leukemia in 2006 as the first millennial ‘saint’. Pope Leo made the historic announcement in a colorful ceremony at the Vatican on Sunday (September 7) in the presence of about 70,000 young people.
Carlo Acutis was born in Britain but grew up in Italy. He died at the age of 15. His passion was to spread the Christian faith by learning computer code and creating websites. At a young age, his work became an inspiration to Catholic youth around the world. Eventually, he gained the same status as Mother Teresa or Saint Francis of Assisi.
Reuters reported on Sunday that the ceremony, along with Acutis, recognized as a saint, included Pier Giorgio Frassatti, who died of polio in the 1920s and is remembered for his work with the poor and vulnerable.
“Acutis and Frascati show us how to live holy lives and help others,” Pope Leo told the crowd in St. Peter’s Square. “You are all called to be saints,” he added, “Carlo often said, “Heaven awaits us. Loving tomorrow means giving the best of today.”
Young Catholics have long been waiting for Carlo Acutis to be canonized. The ceremony was scheduled for last April but was postponed due to the death of Pope Francis. It was the first canonization ceremony since Pope Leo was crowned in May.
Many of the young people who attended the event found themselves drawn to Akutis’ life. “I was inspired by his story,” said 24-year-old programmer Antonio D’Averio. “He was also very interested in computer science. This is something completely new for a saint.”
“Carlo and Pier Giorgio are a unique example for young people. We want to follow in their footsteps,” said Clara Marugan Martin, 20, from Spain.
According to Catholic belief, being a saint means that someone has lived a holy life and is now in the presence of God. There have been several saints in the past who died at a young age, such as Saint Therese of Lisieux, who died at the age of 24 in 1897, or Aloysius Gonzaga, who died at the age of 23 while caring for the sick during the plague in 1591.
Carlo Acutis’ body has been moved to Assisi, Italy, in accordance with his last wishes. There, he is buried like Saint Francis. His body is preserved in a wax statue—dressed in his favorite track top, jeans, and sneakers. Thousands of devotees come to pray there every day, which has already become a popular pilgrimage site.
