Who Was Carlo Acutis? The Story of the 15-Year-Old Who Died of Leukemia and Is Set To Be Named the ‘First Millennial Saint’ by Pope Francis

Carlo Acutis, born in the UK in 1991, sadly passed away at the age of 15 in 2006 due to leukemia. Now, he's all set to become the first millennial saint recognised by the Catholic Church. Known as a tech wizard, he created several websites to share the teachings of the Catholic Church, due to which he earned the nickname God's influencer. Even in his youth, Acutis had a strong commitment to his faith. One of his notable projects is a website documenting global miracles, available in multiple languages. After his passing in Italy, his body is displayed in a tomb for devotees to pay their respects. Pope Francis has attributed two miracles to Carlo, paving the way for his canonisation as the ‘first millennial saint’. Mariam Thresia, Indian Nun, Elevated to Sainthood by Pope Francis.

Who Is Carlo Acutis?

Carlo was born in London, United Kingdom. When Carlo was just a child, his family moved to Milan, Italy. As he grew up, people came to know him as a tech whiz. He created many websites to share the Catholic Church’s teachings. Carlo was into his faith, even when he was young. He also took care of his church's website. Sadly, Carlo passed away on October 12, 2006, due to leukemia. Before he died, he wanted to be buried in Assisi, where Saint Francis was from. A year later, Carlo's body was moved to the Assisi cemetery, where people can visit.

What Miracles Are Attributed to Carlo Acutis?

According to reports a seven-year-old kid in Brazil got better from a rare sickness by touching one of Carlo’s shirts. A priest prayed to Acutis for the child. The Pope checked and approved the healing, saying it was a miracle. This paved the way for Acutis to become a saint. In the second incident, a university student in Florence had a bike accident in which she sustained severe injuries, including a brain injury. The doctors thought she would not make it. But her mother prayed at Carlo’s tomb, and ten days later, the scans showed her brain injury was gone. The Pope accepted this as another miracle connected to Acutis. Carlo Acutis will be the only person born in the 1990s who the Catholic Church will have made a saint.

Becoming a saint is a very high honour. The person needs to have two miracles attributed to them. The person’s name gets added to the list of official saints. People can have special church services and celebrations in their honour. Sometimes churches too, are built in their memory. Blessed Lazarus: Devasahayam Pillai Becomes First Indian Layman To Be Catholic Saint As Pope Francis Canonises Him.

The process has four main steps, but the Pope can change some rules. First, there's a formal request to consider someone for sainthood. Then, people who know the person well testify about how good and holy they were. The bishop sends a report to Rome, where it's checked by a special group. The next step is beatification. If the person died for their faith, they might become 'Blessed.' To become a saint, the person needs two miracles. As of now, there is no official announcement on when Carlo Acutis will achieve sainthood.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2024 04:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).