Pope Francis has paved the way for the canonization of Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old Italian tech prodigy who died of leukemia in 2006, by attributing a second miracle to him. Acutis, born in London in 1991 and later moving to Milan, was beatified by Francis in Assisi in 2020, making him the youngest contemporary person to receive this honor.
The Pontiff announced the second miracle during a meeting with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, head of the Vatican’s saint-making department. Pope Francis will convene a Consistory of Cardinals to discuss the canonization of Acutis and three other Blesseds.
Acutis, often referred to as the “patron saint of the internet,” used his tech skills to create a website cataloging miracles and maintained websites for local Catholic organizations. He was self-taught, learning to code from a university textbook while in elementary school and later mastering video editing and animation.
Acutis died on October 12, 2006, from acute leukemia. He was on the path to sainthood after Pope Francis attributed the first miracle to him: the healing of a 7-year-old Brazilian boy from a rare pancreatic disorder after coming into contact with a relic of Acutis.
The second miracle, recognized on Thursday, involves a woman from Costa Rica who prayed at Acutis’ tomb in Assisi for her daughter’s recovery from severe head trauma. The daughter began to recover immediately after the prayer.
Acutis showed strong religious devotion from a young age, surprising his non-practicing parents. His mother, Antonia Salzano, recalled that he asked to visit churches from age 3 and received Holy Communion at age 7, an exception to the usual age requirement. His curiosity led Salzano to study theology, renewing her own faith.
Acutis requested to be buried in Assisi, admiring St. Francis of Assisi’s dedication to the poor. His body, dressed in a tracksuit and sneakers, is displayed for veneration in Assisi, with his heart in a reliquary in the St. Francis Basilica.
