'Patron of the internet' Carlo Acutis, 15, to become first millennial saint
An English-born Italian teenager is set to become the first millennial saint, the Vatican announced on May 23.
Pope Francis cleared the path for Carlo Acutis' canonization, the Catholic Church's official recognition of a person as a saint or a holy person known for "heroic sanctity" and who is thought to be in heaven.
Acutis was a computer programmer born on May 3, 1991, in London. He died of leukemia on Oct. 12, 2006, in Italy, at 15 years old.
He was popularly dubbed as "the patron saint of the internet." According to America Magazine, which covers religion, he watched Pokémon and played PlayStation.
Acutis helped others at a young age. He reportedly defended schoolmates from bullies and used his money to help the poor. The Vatican said he used his first savings to buy a sleeping bag for a homeless man he often saw on the way to Mass.
Upon receiving a diary, he used it to track his progress: “good marks” if he behaved well and “bad marks” if he didn't meet his expectations.
Acutis also put up a website documenting eucharistic miracles around the world. It has cataloged over 150 miracles and is accessible in at least 18 languages, including Filipino.
Steps to sainthood
According to the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), there are three steps to sainthood: a candidate being conferred the title "Venerable," their beatification as "Blessed," and, finally, their canonization as "Saint." This process takes years, decades, and even centuries.
The pope gives the title "Venerable" to a deceased person for living a heroically virtuous life or for offering their life. Acutis was venerated in 2018.
The next step is beatification, which involves a rigorous investigation into the person's life and writings takes place. A miracle must also be attributed to the person.
The USCCB defines a miracle as something that's "scientifically inexplicable" and "has occurred by the grace of God through the intercession [or a prayer on one's behalf] of a Venerable or Blessed." Cases include people "miraculously" recovering from illnesses with no cure.
Beatified persons are given the title "Blessed." Pope Francis beatified Acutis in 2020.
Another miracle in the candidate's name leads to sainthood.
Blessed Carlo Acutis' miracle
Acutis' path to sainthood happened after the Vatican recognized a miracle in his name through a Costa Rica woman named Liliana.
On July 8, 2022, Liliana prayed at his tomb in Assisi town, leaving a letter to describe her plea.
Lilia prayed to Acutis for her daughter Valeria, who had a bicycle accident in Florence, where she was attending university, six days ago.
Valeria suffered "severe head trauma, and required craniotomy surgery and the removal of the right occipital bone to reduce pressure on her brain, with what her doctors said was a very low chance of survival," according to Vatican News.
Before Liliana visited Acutis' tomb, her secretary prayed immediately.
That same day of her visit, the hospital informed Liliana that Valeria had begun to breathe "spontaneously." The next day, she "began to move and partially regain her speech."
A CAT scan on July 18, 2022, showed that Valeria's hemorrhaging had disappeared. She was moved to rehabilitation therapy on Aug. 11 and on Sept. 2, the mother and daughter visited Acutis to thank him for his intercession.
Pope Francis in a decree announced that he would convene a Consistory of Cardinals to deliberate the canonization of Acutis, as well as Giuseppe Allamano, Marie-Léonie Paradis, and Elena Guerra.
Acutis and the Philippines
Acutis has a lot of devotees in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country.
A Facebook page called "Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis Philippines" is dedicated to him and has over 11,000 followers.
In October 2023, the page shared a video message from his mother, Antonia Salzona Acutis, addressing Filipinos.
Antonia said her son loved the Philippines "very much," describing it as "full of saints." It's also where he had a friend named Loren Jean.
"He had a special predilection for the Philippines," she said of her son.
In October of that year, sculptor Felman Limlengco Bagalso of Paete in Laguna created the first wooden statue of Acutis, which was blessed at the Saint James the Apostle Parish.
In November 2023, the University of Santo Tomas hosted his relic and pilgrim image visit.