US EditionChurches globally prepare to honour Carlo Acutis, here's what happens to first millennial saint' body
Carlo Acutis, canonised by Pope Leo XIV, inspired millions with digital evangelism; his tomb in Assisi attracts over one million annual visitors, reflecting his growing influence.
- The Catholic Church canonized Carlo Acutis, a London-born Italian teenager who died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15, as its first millennial saint this week at the Vatican.
- His canonization followed recognition of two miracles attributed to him and reflects the Church's strategic effort to engage younger generations, a move experts describe as a cultural shift.
- Acutis, known for creating a website cataloging Eucharistic miracles using coding skills, died of acute promyelocytic leukemia and was buried initially in Piedmont before transfer to Assisi, where his preserved body lies in a glass tomb.
- His facial features and hands have been maintained using wax and a silicone covering, his heart is housed within a golden reliquary at San Rufino Cathedral, and fragments of his hair, clothing, and organs have been distributed as relics to churches and educational institutions worldwide.
- Thousands of pilgrims visit his tomb annually, and broad ecclesiastical support at the canonization signifies Acutis’ ongoing influence and the Church’s intent to resonate with youth globally.
11 Articles
11 Articles
The Ancient Roots of the First Millennial Saint
On Sunday, the Catholic Church officially canonized Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who died in 2006, making him the first recognized millennial saint. The move was criticized by secular observers as well as some Catholics who believed the process had been too hasty, or that St. Carlo Acutis had not yet met the requirements necessary for sainthood. Today, Matthew Walther—the editor of The Lamp, a Catholic literary magazine—discusses the tradit…
Filipino devotees witness Saint Carlo Acutis' canonization in Vatican
Tropa ni Carlo Acutis, a dedicated group of Filipino devotees, was among those who witnessed the official canonization of St. Carlo Acutis, the Catholic Church's first millennial saint, in Vatican City.
More Than Half a Million Pilgrims Have Visited St. Carlo Acutis’ Tomb So Far This Year
Courtesy photo Crowds of people come to pray at Carlo Acutis’ tomb at the church of St. Mary Major in Assisi, Itlay, during the weekend of his Sept. 7, 2025, canonization. On the day of his canonization, locals packed into the church in Assisi to watch a livestream of the Mass.
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