Meet Carlo Acutis, A Teen Called ‘God’s Influencer,’ Who Is The World’s First Millennial Saint. Credit: carloacutis-en.org
On a Sunday steeped in ancient ritual, a London-born boy who loved video games, jeans, and technology made history. Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 at just 15, just became the first millennial saint of the Catholic Church.
Carlo was born in London in 1991 and baptised at Our Lady of Dolours Church in Chelsea.
The canonisation, presided over by Pope Leo, marks a moment that has captured the imagination of young Catholics worldwide. Carlo was no ordinary teenager. He loved PlayStation and Super Mario, yet he also dedicated himself to documenting miracles online, earning the nickname “God’s Influencer” from Pope Francis.
A Modern SaintCarlo was born in London in 1991 and baptised at Our Lady of Dolours Church in Chelsea. His family returned to Milan, Italy, before he was six months old, but his brief connection to the London parish has left a lasting impression. Today, the church has become a small pilgrimage site, housing a relic—a single strand of Carlo’s hair—and framed pages from the miracle website he created.
Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 at just 15, became the first millennial saint of the Catholic Church.
In Milan, Carlo’s love of technology flourished. He built websites for his parish and school, and in the months before his death, launched a project documenting Eucharistic miracles from around the world. The website has since been translated into several languages and has become the basis for exhibitions visited globally, earning Carlo the title “patron saint of the internet.”
How Does One Become A Saint? About Miracles & RecognitionTo become a saint, the Church requires proof of two miracles. Carlo’s miracles were remarkable:
The first occurred at his funeral when a woman with breast cancer prayed to him—and her cancer vanished without chemotherapy.
The second, in 2024, saw a university student in Florence survive severe brain trauma after invoking Carlo’s intercession.
Pope Francis recognised both miracles and fast-tracked Carlo’s canonisation, a rare move aimed at inspiring young people around the world.
More than a million pilgrims have visited Assisi, where Carlo’s wax-preserved body lies. Credit: carloacutis-en.org
Saint Acutis: Relatable and InspiringCarlo’s appeal lies in his relatability. Saints often seem distant, their lives wrapped in history and ritual. Carlo, however, was like many teenagers today: he loved gaming, wore jeans, and embraced the digital world. More than a million pilgrims have visited Assisi, where Carlo’s wax-preserved body lies. Meanwhile, the Chelsea church in London has quietly become a second pilgrimage site. A former confession booth has been transformed into a shrine, complete with relics and pages from his miracle website.
Carlo was beatified in 2020 but his canonisation had been delayed following Pope Francis’s death. Credit: carloacutis-en.org
Carlo was beatified in 2020, after the first miracle was recognised, but his canonisation had been delayed following Pope Francis’s death. This weekend, the Church completed the process, officially declaring him a saint.
A Saint For A New GenerationCarlo Acutis’s story offers a new vision of holiness. His life, though brief, shows that faith and technology can coexist, and that sanctity can feel familiar and accessible to young people. This weekend, he officially became a saint, in doing so, became the face of a Church looking to the future.