A London-born teenager is set to become the first saint of the millennial generation, having been recognized by Pope Francis for a second miracle.
Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia at the age of 15 in 2006, was beatified in 2020. He is credited with the miraculous healing of Mattheus Vianna, a Brazilian child who had a severe congenital disorder preventing him from properly digesting food.
The first miracle occurred in February 2014 when Mattheus was reportedly “completely healed” after coming into contact with a relic of Carlo and commanding, “stop vomiting,” according to a priest close to Mattheus’s family.
The second miracle involved a Costa Rican girl studying in Italy who recovered from a serious head injury.
She was reportedly healed through Carlo after her mother invoked his help, as reported by Avvenire, the official newspaper of the Italian Episcopal Conference.
Pope Francis recognized this second miracle as attributable to Carlo during a consultation with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
Carlo, fondly known as “The Divine Influencer,” used his tech skills to spread Catholic teachings.
Originally from London, Carlo grew up in Milan, where he managed the website for his local church and later for an institution connected with the Vatican. The recognition of a second miraculous event paves the way for his canonization, though the Vatican has not announced when this will occur.
According to Roman Catholic Church teachings, miracles are divine acts, but saints in heaven can intercede for those who pray to them. Miracles are typically seen as unexplainable medical recoveries.
Carlo’s significant efforts in spreading the faith online earned him the title of patron saint of the previous World Youth Day in Lisbon, as announced by the event’s organizers.