Some call him the first saint of the internet age. Carlo Acutis, a young technology enthusiast, died at the age of 15, but his legacy remains very much alive. The Catholic Church will make his canonization in 2025.
Carlo Acutis: o padroeiro da Internet
Carlo Acutis, a young Italian born in London in 1991, is about to become the first holy millennium of the Catholic Church. Known as the "Influencer of God" and the "patron saint of the internet", Acutis will be canonized in April 2025, marking a historic moment for the Church and for the generation born between the beginning of the 1980s and the end of the 1990s.
Carlo was born on May 3, 1991 in London, but spent most of his childhood in Italy. From an early age, he demonstrated an extraordinary devotion to the Catholic faith, combined with a natural talent for technology. Acutis was an ordinary teenager in many ways: he liked to play video games, play the saxophone and play football.
However, his spiritual life was anything but ordinary. At the age of seven, Carlo asked to receive his first communion, an event that profoundly marked his spiritual life. From then on, I attended mass daily and prayed the rosary regularly. His devotion to the Eucharist became central to his life and work.
The digital legacy
What distinguished Carlo Acutis was his ability to combine his faith with his technological skills. Self-taught in programming, she created websites for Catholic organizations and, most notably, an online database of Eucharistic miracles from around the world.
This project, begun just days before his death, became his most lasting legacy. The website, translated into several languages, has served as the basis for traveling exhibitions and continues to be a valuable tool for religious education around the world.
Illness and death
In 2006, at the age of 15, Carlo was diagnosed with leukemia. Despite the severity of the illness, he faced it with remarkable courage and faith. He offered his suffering for the Pope and the Church, demonstrating a spiritual maturity beyond his years.
He passed away on October 12, 2006 in Monza, Italy. His last words were:
I'm happy to die because I lived my life without wasting a minute of it on things that don't please God.
The path to holiness
Carlo Acutis' canonization process began in 2013, when he was declared "Servant of God" by the Pope. In 2020, he was beatified after the first miracle attributed to his intercession was verified: the miraculous healing of a Brazilian child suffering from a congenital disease.
The second miracle, confirmed this year, involved the healing of a university student in Florence who recovered from a severe brain hemorrhage. The student's mother made a pilgrimage to Acutis's grave and left a note. On the same day, the daughter began to breathe spontaneously and, the following day, she began to move and regained part of her speech.
The canonization of Carlo Acutis is significant for several reasons. He will be the first saint born in the internet age and the first millennial to be canonized. His story particularly resonates with young people, showing that holiness is possible even in the digital age.
Pope Francis, an admirer of Acutis, sees his story as a way for the Catholic Church to better connect with younger generations in a digital age. The canonization of Acutis is seen as an opportunity to inspire young people to use technology for spiritual purposes and the common good.
Global impact
Carlo Acutis' impact continues to grow. His body was transferred to Assisi, where it is displayed in a sanctuary along with other relics linked to him. Thousands of people visit his tomb annually.
In the United Kingdom, the Archbishop of Birmingham established the Parish of Blessed Carlo Acutis, encompassing churches in Wolverhampton and Wombourne. A statue of the future saint was also erected at Carfin Grotto, a Roman Catholic sanctuary in Motherwell.
Carlo Acutis represents a new era of holiness, one that embraces both traditional faith and modern technologies. His short but impactful life serves as a powerful testimony that holiness is attainable for everyone, regardless of the age or era in which we live.
Source: pplware.sapo.pt
