Crux (Left), Luciana Frassati / Wikimedia Commons (Right)
The Vatican announced early Friday that Pope Leo will canonize Blessed Carlo Acutis September 7, along with Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati – giving the Catholic Church two new saints widely known as role models for youth.
“This morning, Pope Leo XIV presided over the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Canonization of the Blesseds,” Vatican News reported early Friday, “announcing that these Italian young men will be inscribed in the Register of Saints on the first Sunday of the month.”
The late Pope Francis first determined a date for Blessed Carlo’s canonization last year. The death of Francis delayed the canonization, leaving Catholics unsure when the newly elected Pope Leo would take up the task.
“Acutis’ canonization ceremony will have special significance, as he will be the first Millennial – or person born between the years of 1981 and 1996 – to be canonized a saint,” CatholicVote reported in 2024.
“Acutis was born in 1991 in England and died from leukemia in Italy at the young age of 15,” CatholicVote’s report added. “Acutis enjoyed playing video games and loved going to daily Mass. A talented coder and computer programmer, he designed a virtual exhibit website dedicated to Eucharistic miracles from around the world. Pope Francis declared him a Blessed in 2020.”