Carlo Acutis, a British-born Italian boy, will be canonized as the first Catholic saint of the millennial generation on Sunday in a ceremony at St. Peter’s Square led by Pope Leo. Thousands of devotees are expected to join the event. The event is expected to draw tens of thousands of worshippers. Carlo was born on May 3, 1991, in London, and ied of leukemia in 2006. His parents were not devout; however, Carlo had a deep love for God from a young age.
Carlo Acutis: The Coding Prodigy
Carlo was not just a religious person. He was a tech geek and had a keen interest in coding. He self learned basic programming languages, including C and C++. He combined his technical skills with his faith to create websites that spread Catholic teachings.
Among his notable projects was an exhibition on Eucharistic miracles, which has since been displayed in thousands of parishes across five continents.
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Battle with Leukemia
Carlo was diagnosed with leukemia when he was in his teens.
Before his death on October 12, 2006, he offered his suffering for Pope Benedict XVI and the Church, saying, “I offer all of my suffering to the Lord for the pope and for the Church in order not to go to purgatory but to go straight to heaven.”
His canonization was first scheduled for April but was postponed following the death of Pope Francis. Pope Leo, elected in May to succeed Francis, will preside over the ceremony, marking his first canonization.
In addition to Carlo Acutis, Pope Leo will canonize Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young Italian who died of polio in the 1920s and was known for helping those in need.
Final Resting Place of Carlo Acutis
As part of the canonization process, Carlo’s body was moved to a church in Assisi, central Italy, the hometown of St. Francis, per his last wishes.
His tomb has become a famous religious place as people throng the site in devotion. The tomb is a wax model of Carlo in which he is dressed in jeans and sneakers.
Carlo is not the first saint who died young. Therese of Lisieux died at 24 in 1897 and promoted a “Little Way” of charity. Similarly, Aloysius Gonzaga died at 23 in 1591 after caring for victims of a Rome epidemic.
While earlier reports claimed Carlo’s body was incorrupt, the bishop of Assisi clarified before his beatification that this was not the case. Nevertheless, Carlo’s life and work continue to inspire Catholic youth worldwide.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
