Carlo Acutis To Be Canonised As The First Millennial Saint
Pilgrims have travelled to Assisi, Italy, to view the preserved body of British-born Carlo Acutis ahead of his upcoming canonisation as a saint next month. Acutis, who passed away from leukaemia at the age of 15 in 2006, is set to become the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint, having been credited with miracles since his death.
Born in London, Acutis was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020. The Pope later approved his canonisation, which is scheduled to take place on April 27, 2025.
According to his final wish, Acutis was buried in Assisi, where he was laid to rest at the Sanctuary of the Spoliation in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in April 2019.
His body has been encased in a wax layer moulded to resemble his appearance before burial, allowing worshippers to see him as he was in life, according to Aleteia.
Since his passing, Acutis has gained a global following. His canonisation will take place during the Church’s Jubilee of Teenagers, which runs from April 25 to April 27, 2025.
The decision to canonise him followed the confirmation of a second miracle attributed to his intercession in May 2024.
Miracles attributed to Carlo Acutis
In 2022, the mother of a Costa Rican woman who had been in a serious bicycle accident prayed at Acutis’ glass casket, leaving a note asking for her daughter’s healing. That same day, her daughter began breathing independently, and 10 days later, she was discharged from intensive care after the haemorrhage in her brain disappeared.
The Vatican also credited Acutis with interceding from heaven in 2013 to cure a Brazilian boy suffering from a rare pancreatic disease.
Acutis was beatified in Assisi, the home of his idol, Saint Francis, who dedicated his life to helping the poor.
His mother has described him as someone who devoted himself to helping others. She said he supported struggling classmates, defended disabled friends from bullies, and distributed meals to the homeless in his city.
Acutis passed away in Monza, Italy, in 2006, having moved to Milan as a child. Since then, he has been called “God’s influencer” and “the patron saint of the internet” due to his efforts in spreading religious teachings online before his death.
The process of becoming a saint typically begins after a five-year waiting period, allowing time for reflection. The bishop of the diocese where the person died then investigates whether their life was holy enough for them to be considered a “servant of God”.
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Before his death, Acutis created a website called The Eucharistic Miracles of the World and enjoyed researching different miracles for the project.
His mother told The Times, “He was a computer genius, so this probably makes him very close to the people of nowadays. He was living the same lives as them; he liked to play video games, use the internet, and play football.”
Acutis also helped the homeless and defended classmates who were bullied.
After a case is reviewed by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, it is then passed to the Pope, who can declare the individual a person of “heroic virtue”.
In July 2018, Pope Francis named Acutis “venerable”, marking the third of five stages in the canonisation process.
For beatification, a miracle must be attributed to someone who has prayed to the individual. A second confirmed miracle then allows for canonisation.
Content Credit| Agbetan Bisola
Image Credits| https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Acutis
Source| m.lindaikejisblog.com
