Jeans, sneakers, and the web of miracles: Meet Carlo Acutis, the millennial on path to sainthood

A modern role model

The case of Acutis has gained unusual prominence in recent years, with the Vatican presenting him as a relatable model for young Catholics. Born in London in 1991 to Italian parents, Acutis was raised in Milan as the family moved there when he was four months old. While he enjoyed football, video games and pets, he also attended daily Mass and dedicated himself to using the internet for religious purposes.

At the age of 11, he created a website cataloguing Eucharistic miracles — phenomena Catholics believe demonstrate the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist — which remains online and has been translated into nearly 20 languages. His dedication earned him admiration as someone who combined everyday teenage life with deep spiritual commitment.

Acutis died in October 2006 after a sudden diagnosis of acute leukaemia. His beatification took place in 2020, following the Vatican’s recognition of a miracle attributed to him: the healing of a Brazilian boy suffering from a rare pancreatic disorder. A second miracle, approved in 2023, involved the recovery of a woman in Florence with a brain condition. Both were deemed scientifically inexplicable, clearing the way for his canonisation.

FILE – The body of Carlo Acutis, an Italian boy who died in 2006 of leukemia, lies in his tomb in Assisi, Italy, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

He will be declared a saint alongside Pier Giorgio Frassati, another young Italian layman who died in 1925 and has long been popular among Catholic youth.

Global devotion

Since Acutis’ death, devotion to him has grown worldwide. Millions of young Catholics have visited his tomb in Assisi, where his body lies in a glass-sided coffin dressed in jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt. For many, his ordinary appearance and youthful age have made him a figure they can relate to more easily than traditional saints.

Catholic schools and parishes across Europe, the Americas and Asia have organised prayers and activities in the lead-up to Sunday’s canonisation. In Chicago, Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish — the first parish in the United States to be named after him — has introduced students to his life through books, drawings and lessons.

Rev. Ed Howe, pastor of the parish, said Acutis was “a saint next door” and a reminder to young Catholics that holiness could be lived out in everyday life, The Associated Press reported.

Pope Leo XIV waves to faithful holding a picture of Blessed Carlo Acutis, who will be canonized Sunday, as he arrives in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for an open-air jubiliar audience Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

The Vatican has strongly promoted Acutis as part of a broader campaign to appeal to younger generations. Pope Francis, who advanced his sainthood cause, described him as someone who understood both the opportunities and dangers of digital culture. In a 2019 letter, Francis said Acutis recognised the risk of consumerism and distraction online but “knew how to use new communications technology to transmit the Gospel, to communicate values and beauty.”

Acutis’ canonisation highlights the Church’s effort to present saints who reflect modern challenges, including the influence of technology and social media on daily life.

The canonisation Mass will take place on September 7 at St. Peter’s Square, where thousands of pilgrims are expected. The ceremony will formally inscribe Acutis in the Church’s roll of saints, making him the first millennial recognised as such.

(With Inputs from Associated Press, The Guardian)