The Vatican announced on Thursday that an Italian teenager, affectionately called “God’s Influencer” for his use of computer skills to spread the Catholic faith, is set to become the first saint of the millennial generation.
Carlo Acutis, who passed away in 2006 at the tender age of 15 due to leukemia, was originally from London but spent most of his life in Milan. During his time in Milan, he took on the responsibility of managing his parish’s website and later, even contributed to a Vatican-based academy. His computer proficiency led him to create an impressive online database that cataloged Eucharistic miracles from various corners of the globe.
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In 2020, the teenager was beatified, marking the initial stage towards sainthood. This recognition came after a miraculous event, where Acutis is acknowledged for healing a Brazilian child suffering from a congenital pancreatic condition.
During a meeting with Cardinal Marcello Semararo, the head of the Vatican’s saint-making department, Pope Francis announced on Thursday that Acutis had been attributed a second miracle.
According to a report from CBS News partner BBC News, the second miracle was the healing of a university student in Florence. The student had experienced a brain bleed due to head trauma.
The Vatican did not mention a specific timeframe, but the attribution of a second miracle paves the way for Acutis to be recognized as a saint.
Acutis passed away in Monza, Italy. His remains were later transferred to Assisi, where they are currently exhibited alongside other relics associated with him. Last year, he was honored as the patron of World Youth Day in Lisbon due to his significant contribution to evangelization through the internet, as confirmed by the event organizers, as cited by Reuters.
The pope also put forth the sainthood causes for six men and a woman.
