Who was soon-to-be-canonized Carlo Acutis?

CV NEWS FEED // Pope Francis has announced he will canonize Bl. Carlo Acutis in April 2025. Set to be the first millennial saint, Carlo had a faith life that included profound devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist and the offering of his sufferings for Jesus, the Pope, and the Church before his death at age 15. 

Early life

Born in 1991, Carlo and his family lived in England for a short time before moving to Milan, according to his official website.

Carlo’s parents were Catholic but rarely attended Mass. But even as a young boy, he showed a love for God. He went to Mass daily, bringing his parents along. 

According to Little Flower Parish, the priest promoting his cause for canonization noted that Carlo “managed to drag his relatives, his parents to Mass every day. It was not the other way around; it was not his parents bringing the little boy to Mass, but it was he who managed to get himself to Mass and to convince others to receive Communion daily.’” Carlo’s faith eventually led to his mother’s deepening conversion.

Carlo is also known for his love of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He once described the Rosary as “the shortest ladder to heaven.”

Along with his regular habits of praying the Rosary daily and attending Mass, Carlo enjoyed hobbies such as soccer and video gaming, but he only played for one hour a week as a matter of temperance, according to Little Flower Parish.

Carlo also used his abilities as a computer programmer — a skill he taught himself — to spread devotion to the Eucharist. He is especially known for designing a website highlighting all of the Eucharistic miracles around the world. 

“The Eucharist is my highway to Heaven,” Carlo once said, according to a website dedicated to him. He was confirmed in 2003. 

Leukemia diagnosis

When he was 15 years old, Carlo was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. According to the Little Flower Parish, he offered his sufferings up for several intentions. 

“I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church,” he said. 

Carlo also spoke about facing death with joy. 

“I am happy to die because I have lived my life without wasting a minute on those things which do not please God,” he said. 

He passed away in 2006, at age 15. He was buried in Assisi, where he had requested to be laid to rest.

The cause for his canonization was opened in 2012. 

First miracle attributed to his intercession: 4-year-old boy is healed

The first miracle attributed to Carlos’ intercession took place in 2013. Four-year-old Mattheus, a little boy from Brazil, was suffering from a rare pancreatic disease that caused him to vomit almost constantly. He weighed only about 20 pounds. A friend of Mattheus’ family, Fr. Nicola Gori, celebrated a special Mass and held a prayer service after having received a relic of Carlo from Carlo’s mother. 

Mattheus and his mother attended the prayer service after praying a novena to Carlo. According to Fr. Gori, during the prayer service, when it was Mattheus’ turn to touch an image of Carlo, the little boy prayed: “‘I wish I could stop vomiting so much.”

Mattheus began to heal immediately after this. At home, Mattheus was able to eat a large dinner and did not vomit once. Several days later, physicians found that Mattheus was healed of his disease.

The Vatican formally recognized this miracle, attributed to Carlo, in February 2020, and he was beatified that fall. 

Second miracle approved: Young woman healed of traumatic brain injury

In May 2024, Pope Francis recognized the second miracle attributed to Carlo’s intercession, clearing the pathway to his canonization. 

The second miracle occurred in 2022, when a woman, Valeria, was healed of a severe brain injury. Valeria had sustained the injury in a biking accident. 

According to Vatican News, Valeria “required craniotomy surgery and the removal of the right occipital bone to reduce pressure on her brain, with what her doctors said was a very low chance of survival.” 

The woman’s mother, Liliana Valverde, trekked from Costa Rica to Carlo’s tomb in Assisi to pray for Valeria’s healing. The same day she prayed at the tomb, the hospital informed Liliana that her daughter had begun breathing spontaneously. 

“The next day, she began to move and partially regain her speech,” according to Vatican News.

Less than two weeks later, a CAT scan found that Valeria’s hemorrhage had disappeared. 

In September of that year, Valeria traveled with her mother to Carlo’s tomb to thank him for interceding.  

Vatican News confirmed this month that Pope Francis will canonize Bl. Carlo Acutis during the Jubilee for Adolescents, April 25-27, 2025.