"Holy Millennial: How Carlo Acutis Became the Patron of the Internet"

VATICAN ANNOUNCES DATE FOR CANONIZATION OF "DIGITAL SAINT": CARLO ACUTIS TO BECOME THE FIRST SAINT OF THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION

June 13, 2025 - The Vatican has officially announced that on September 7, 2025, the historic canonization of Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who will go down in history as the first saint from the millennial generation, will take place. This significant news confirms the unique spiritual journey of the young Catholic, nicknamed "God's influencer" for his extraordinary devotion to faith and innovative use of modern technology to spread Christian values.

Carlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991, in London to wealthy Italian parents Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Milan, where Carlo grew up. From an early age, he displayed extraordinary religiosity, despite the fact that his parents were not particularly devout. By the age of seven, Carlo attended Mass daily and prayed the rosary, and by 12, he regularly participated in the Eucharist and confessed weekly.

His love for the Eucharist became a central part of his life. Carlo said: "The Eucharist is my highway to heaven," and his motto was: "All are born as originals, but many die as photocopies." He strived to live an authentic Christian life, helping the homeless, volunteering at a Franciscan soup kitchen, and mentoring children as a catechist at the Santa Maria Segreta parish in Milan.

Carlo was passionate about computer science and, being self-taught, created websites for Catholic organizations. His most famous project was an online catalog of Eucharistic miracles, including 108 stories translated into multiple languages and presented as an exhibition that traveled to more than 10,000 parishes worldwide. This work made him a symbol of evangelization through the internet, earning him the nickname "patron of the internet."

Despite his religious activities, Carlo remained an ordinary teenager: he played the saxophone, enjoyed video games (limiting himself to two hours a week), loved football, and socializing with friends. His openness and kindness attracted people of different faiths, including Muslims and Hindus, who attended his funeral.

In 2006, Carlo was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The disease progressed rapidly, and on October 12, 2006, at the age of 15, he died in Monza, Italy. Before his death, Carlo expressed his wish to be buried in Assisi, the city of Saint Francis, and dedicated his sufferings to the Pope and the Church.

Carlo's beatification process began in 2013 in the Archdiocese of Milan. In 2018, Pope Francis recognized his virtues, giving him the title of "Venerable," and in 2020, Carlo was beatified after the recognition of the first miracle - the healing of a Brazilian boy with a rare pancreatic disease.

The second miracle, recognized by the Vatican in May 2024, is related to the healing of a 21-year-old student from Costa Rica, Valeria Valverde. After a severe traumatic brain injury from a bicycle fall, she was in critical condition. Her mother's prayers at Carlo's tomb in Assisi led to Valeria's unexpected recovery, which doctors could not explain.

The canonization of Carlo Acutis, scheduled for September 7, 2025, will be a landmark event for the Catholic Church, emphasizing that holiness is accessible even to young people in the digital age. His life inspires youth, showing how faith and technology can be combined for good purposes.

In 2023, a feature film about Carlo's life was announced, as well as a computer game "Acutis Game" dedicated to his story. His m