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Tens of thousands of pilgrims are anticipated to gather at the Vatican on Sunday for the canonization of an Italian teenager known as “God’s Influencer” due to his efforts in spreading the Catholic faith online.
Carlo Acutis, who passed away from leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, is set to become the first millennial saint, with Pope Leo XIV presiding over the solemn ceremony in St. Peter’s Square.
His body, dressed casually in jeans and Nike sneakers, rests in a glass-topped tomb in Assisi, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Originally scheduled for April, the canonization ceremony was postponed due to the death of Pope Francis. It will mark Pope Leo XIV’s first sainthood ceremony.
Among the attendees, more than 800 people will travel from Assisi to Rome on a special train for the mass, which is set to begin at 10 a.m. (8 a.m. GMT). The event will also be broadcast on giant screens in Assisi, a historic city and religious pilgrimage site in central Italy’s Umbria region.
“Many will come in person or watch on television. Some have already traveled for April 27. I believe Carlo is grateful for their support,” said his mother, Antonia Salzano.
In a video shared by the Assisi diocese, she expressed that her son’s life exemplifies that “we are all called to be saints… everyone is unique.”
A large tapestry featuring a picture of Carlo was hung on the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica ahead of the ceremony.
Acutis, born in London in 1991 to Italian parents, was known for his devout faith, despite his parents not being particularly religious. He grew up in Milan, where he attended daily Mass and was remembered for his kindness, often helping bullied children and homeless individuals with food and sleeping bags.
A computer enthusiast, Acutis taught himself coding and used his skills to document Catholic miracles and teachings online.
Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi urged young people to emulate Acutis’s example, emphasizing the importance of positive role models in today’s world, where many are exposed to discouraging images and fleeting trends.
The Vatican has recognized Acutis for performing two miracles after his death—healed a Brazilian child with a rare pancreatic condition and aided a Costa Rican student seriously injured in an accident. Both families credited his intercession through prayer.
He was beatified in 2020 by Pope Francis, a step toward sainthood.
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