Carlo Acutis died aged 15 from leukaemia in 2006, but has since had a series of miracles attributed to him – including one case where he ‘interceded from heaven’ to cure a child with a rare pancreatic disease
Worshippers have flocked to a medieval town in Italy to view the preserved body of a UK-born teenager before he’s canonised as the “first millennial saint”.
Carlo Acutis died aged 15 from leukaemia in 2006, but has since had a series of miracles attributed to him. One of these included a case where he “interceded from heaven” to cure a child with a rare pancreatic disease, and another saw a woman’s brain haemorrhage disappear after her mum prayed to Acutis to have her cured. The London-born teenager, dubbed “God’s influencer” was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020
The Pope granted approval for his canonisation last year, which is set to take place on April 27. Acutis was buried in Assisi at the Sanctuary of the Spoliation in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in April 2019, as per his final wish. There, his body lies encased in a wax layer to keep it preserved whilst pilgrims travel over to catch a glimpse of his tomb.
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Since his death, the teenager has garnered an international following. Worshippers have lined up to enter the church and pay their respects at his tomb in Assisi – where shops are selling souvenirs adorned with his face.
Acutis is scheduled to be canonised as a saint during the Church’s Jubilee of Teenagers, between April 25 and April 27 this year. The date was announced after he was linked to a second miracle which saw a mum of a Costa Rican woman involved in a serious bike accident pray at his glass casket before leaving a note asking for the crash victim to be healed.
The same day, the woman’s daughter was able to breathe independently – and was discharged from intensive care ten days later because the haemorrhage in her brain had miracolously disappeared.
According to The Vatican, Acutis also interceded from heaven in 2013 to cure a Brazilian boy who was struck with a rare pancreatic disease.
Acutis’ mum opened up about the teenager’s good deeds before his passing, saying he supported struggling classmates, defended disabled friends who were being bullied and fed the homeless. He was also dubbed “the patron saint of the internet” after he began promoting his religious beliefs online.
The process of becoming a saint begins with a five-year period of reflection. In July 2018, Pope Francis named Acutis venerable – a step towards sainthood, recognising his life as one of heroic virtue. The move helped the teenager achieve the third of five stages towards becoming a saint.
Beatification, a major step towards sainthood, occurred for Acutis in 2020, after a miracle was attributed to him. A person may be canonised if a second miracle is attributed to them, like in Acutis’ case.
It makes him only the second Brit to be canonised in almost 50 years after Cardinal John Henry Newman became a Saint in 2019 – who was credited with curing a man’s spinal disease and a woman’s unstoppable bleeding.
