“God’s Influencer”: Pope Leo XIV Today Declares a Teenager Who Died in 2006 a Saint – Why?
Pope Leo XIV today declared a 15-year-old “wizard with computers” a saint – the first millennial saint – who used technology to spread the Catholic faith and earned the nickname “God’s Influencer.”
Pope Leo XIV canonized Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006, by holding an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square in the presence of tens of thousands of people, many of them millennial couples with young children.
During the ceremony, the Pope also canonized another popular Italian figure who died young, Pier Giorgio Frassati, known for helping the poor – reports Danas.
The Vatican announced that 36 cardinals, 270 bishops, and 212 priests registered to celebrate the Mass together with Pope Leo, showing how much these young figures attract the Roman Catholic hierarchy as well as “ordinary” believers.
Pope Leo, the first American pope, appeared unannounced before the gathered people before the start of Mass and welcomed, as he said, “such a large number of people who came for this Mass.”
Both canonization ceremonies were planned earlier this year but were postponed due to the death of Pope Francis in April.
Pope Francis strongly advocated for the teenager’s sainthood, convinced that the Church needs someone like him to attract young Catholics to faith while reflecting on the promises and dangers of the digital age.
An hour before Mass, St. Peter’s Square was already full of pilgrims, many of them young Italian millennials, who saw in Acutis a modern role model they could relate to.
Acutis was born on May 3, 1991, in London to a wealthy Catholic family. They soon returned to Milan after his birth, and he had a typically happy childhood marked by growing religious devotion.
Acutis was especially interested in computers and devoured university-level books on programming even as a child.
He earned the title “God’s Influencer” thanks to his main technological legacy – a multilingual website documenting Eucharistic miracles recognized by the Church, a project he completed at a time when the development of such portals was the domain of professionals.
Acutis was known to spend hours each day in prayer before communion.
In October 2006, at the age of 15, he fell ill with acute leukemia and died within a few days. He was buried in Assisi, a town known for its connection with another popular saint, St. Francis.
Since his death, young Catholics have flocked to Assisi, where Acutis’ body can be seen through glass at his tomb.
Frassati, the other saint canonized today, lived from 1901 to 1925, when he died of polio. He was known for serving the poor and spreading the faith among his friends.
