International

Millennials set to get their first saint

Millennials are set to get their first Catholic saint after an Italian teenager was awarded a second miracle this week. 

Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia at the age of 15 in 2006, is set to become the first saint of the millennial generation, according to the Vatican

An image of 15-year-old Carlo Acutis, an Italian boy who died in 2006 of leukemia, is unveiled during his beatification ceremony celebrated by Cardinal Agostino Vallini in the St. Francis Basilica, in Assisi, Italy, Oct. 10, 2020.

Acutis, who was born in London but grew up in Milan, was known as “God’s Influencer,” utilizing his computer skills to spread the Catholic faith, including creating a database of Eucharistic miracles. 

He was beatified in 2020 after allegedly helping to heal a Brazilian child who suffered from a congenital disease. Pope Francis honored him with the second miracle Thursday after he was credited with helping to heal a student in Florence who suffered from brain bleeding, according to BBC News

In order to be attributed a miracle, seen as acts that go beyond what is possible naturally, several months of assessments are required. Two are needed for canonization.

Acutis was named at the 2023 World Youth Day for his “important role in evangelization through the internet,” according to Reuters.