On Sunday, September 7, Pope Leo XIV canonized Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis as saints. Addressing over eighty thousand faithful fillingSaint Peter’s Square, the Holy Father reflected on how these two young Saints exemplify holiness, service, and joy, inviting all of us, especially young people, to direct our lives upwards to God.
I had been somewhat familiar with the boy named Carlo Acutis, and that he was up for canonization. But it wasn’t until I was involved with coordinating an exhibit of Eucharistic miracles for my parish that I came to learn what a truly remarkable boy he was.
“To always be close to Jesus, that is my life plan.”
Carlo’s father, Andrea Acutis, was a wealthy Italian businessman with ties to the insurance and finance sectors. He and his wife, Antonia Salzano, were living in London when Carlo was born on May 3, 1991. Soon after his birth, the family returned to Italy and settled in Milan.
Although they were Catholic, Carlo’s parents were not very devout. But, from a very early age, Carlo confounded his parents and his nannies with his remarkably mature faith, and his spiritual insight far exceeded his years. He once said, “To always be close to Jesus, that is my life plan.”
Typically, just like any young boy, he played with toys and enjoyed games, but his precocious devotion to the Faith was anything but typical. When very young, he became devoted to the Blessed Mother and recited frequent rosaries as a sign of his devotion to her. He dragged his parents to Mass instead of the other way around, and after he received his first Communion at the age of seven, he tried to receive Communion every day, saying, "The Eucharist is my highway to heaven." He also made the effort either before or after Mass to pray in adoration in front of the tabernacle, as well as go to confession weekly.
“The Eucharist is my highway to heaven”
Carlo felt a strong need to help others discover God's closeness and the joy of friendship with Him. He was known for his simple, spontaneous, and friendly demeanor, and he had a gift for attracting others. He loved nature and animals, played soccer, and had many friends.
He was not only graced with a precocious faith but also an advanced understanding of computing. He was a pioneer in using modern communication tools, especially the internet, for evangelization. Around age 11, he began researching Eucharistic miracles—miraculous events in which a consecrated Host or wine visibly transforms into visible flesh and blood—and was struck by how little people seemed to know about them. He researched Church-approved Eucharistic miracles, gathering information from books, websites, and Church documents—sometimes even contacting religious orders and dioceses directly. Carlo created detailed digital presentations for each miracle, including historical background, images, Church approvals, and theological context.
God’s Influencer
Carlo used his knowledge of the website language HTML, programming, and graphic design to digitally catalog 136 Eucharistic miracles (some sources indicate 187 miracles).
By age 14 (in 2005), he had completed the main work and launched what became the "Vatican International Exhibition - Eucharistic Miracles of the World" — a project that has since been translated into multiple languages and displayed in over 10,000 parishes around the world.
https://www.miracolieucaristici.org/
Reports differ, but on or about October 2, 2006, one year after he completed his website, Carlo started feeling unwell. He began experiencing severe fatigue, unusual bleeding, bruising, and fever. He was taken to the San Gerardo Hospital in Monza, near Milan, where he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) — a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer.
Despite the pain, Carlo is remembered for never complaining. Nurses and doctors at the San Gerardo Hospital testified to his serenity and selflessness even in the midst of suffering. He famously said, “I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church.” His mother later described how Carlo refused morphine so that he could remain lucid and offer up his pain to God. He died on October 12, 2006, just a few days after being hospitalized. He was 15 years old. He is entombed in his beloved Assisi.
But his story didn’t end there – God had more for him to do.
Not long after his death, the Church began investigating his life, virtues, and reputation for holiness, and the formal process for his canonization began. After a thorough investigation by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, on July 5, 2018, Pope Francis declared Carlo Acutis Venerable.
The two miracles required for canonization followed. In 2020, a Brazilian boy named Matheus Luigi Braga, born with a rare pancreatic disorder, was cured after his parents prayed for Carlo’s intercession. On July 2, 2022, Valeria Valverde, a 21-year-old Costa Rican studying in Florence, suffered a catastrophic bicycle accident that resulted in a severe traumatic brain injury and hemorrhage, and was given little chance of survival. Her mother prayed at Carlo’s tomb, and within 10 days, she was discharged from the ICU and fully recovered shortly thereafter. On May 23, 2024, Pope Francis formally recognized this as a second miracle attributed to Carlo’s intercession, opening the way for canonization.
Carlo Acutis is the first Millennial saint; his Feast Day has been set for October 12. He has been dubbed the “Cyber Apostle of the Eucharist”, "God's Influencer”, some even calling him the “Patron saint of the Internet” - God knows we need one!
For more information about hosting the Vatican International Exhibition - Eucharistic Miracles of the World in your Parish, contact Paul and Susan Boudreau at boudreau_ps@juno.com
By Deacon Ben Locasto