12-05-2025
God's influencer: Carlos Acutis set to be the first millennial saint
The first figurines of Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who died of leukaemia in 2006, are already on sale in the souvenir shops of Assisi, each priced at €45 ($50).
He was an ordinary boy in jeans, trainers and a red polo shirt but now Acutis is depicted with a golden halo over his head.
This puts the traders in the Italian hilltop town, home of St Francis of Assisi, a little ahead of the Catholic Church.
The Vatican postponed the canonization of Acutis, who died at 15, following the death of pope Francis, though his elevation to sainthood remains assured.
The son of a wealthy Italian family, Acutis is set to become the first saint of the millennial generation - commonly referred to as those born between 1981 and 1999. He would have been 33 today.
The Vatican places significant importance on Acutis' canonization, with the late pope having planned to personally oversee the ceremony, particularly given his own choice of name as a tribute to Francis of Assisi, a medieval monk who lived in poverty nearly 800 years ago.
Acutis' life story is framed by the Vatican as one that is meant to resonate with younger generations.
He is described as a "little computer genius," an "influencer of God," and a "cyber apostle" - terms meant to inspire today's tech-savvy youth.
Born in London in 1991, Acutis' family moved to Milan shortly after his birth, and they still maintain a holiday home near Assisi.
Miracle database and rosary programme
Acutis reportedly found his way to faith at an early age, particularly through the influence of his nanny. He received his first communion at the age of seven.
He later attended a Jesuit school, where he wrote computer programmes for the church, designed websites and created a database of supposed Eucharistic miracles.
He installed a rosary programme on his laptop and was in charge of his parish's website. At the time, Acutis told his mother that he was thinking about becoming a priest.
He allegedly admonished friends not to visit porn sites and is said to have claimed: "The only woman in my life is the Virgin Mary."
In early October 2016, Acutis was diagnosed with acute leukaemia which led to his untimely death just a few days later, on October 12.
Soon afterwards, his journey to becoming a saint began, supported by the church and his parents.
His body was exhumed and reburied several times, with his final resting place now in the pilgrimage church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi, where millions of visitors, including school groups, have since paid tribute.
Boy's wax-encased remains on display
Acutis' remains now rest in a sarcophagus with a glass pane, allowing visitors to view inside. The young boy is dressed in jeans and trainers, with a rosary placed in his hands.
His face and hands have been modelled with silicone wax, a common technique used for presenting the bodies of saints, allowing pilgrims to see them as they appeared before death.
Opposite the display is a stone bench for those wishing to linger longer, though most visitors pass by swiftly. Photography is strictly prohibited.
Beatifications and canonizations follow a complex, multi-step process in which every aspect of a candidate's life is carefully examined.
In the past, this process often only began at least 50 years after death, but today it can sometimes unfold much more rapidly.
Typically, a miracle must be attributed to the candidate.
In Acutis' case, Vatican authorities recognized the healing of a child in Brazil and a young woman in Costa Rica, both of which were deemed miraculous. The pope then gave his approval.
In 2020, Acutis was beatified by pope Francis.
The tradition of sainthood spans centuries. More recently, figures like Mother Teresa and pope John Paul II have been canonized, bringing the total number of Catholic saints to over 10,000, with nearly 1,000 added by pope Francis alone.
A close friend sows doubt
However, some feel the canonization process has become too expedited. Questions about Acutis' true piety have also emerged.
One of his closest friends, Federico Oldani, told The Economist that he did not even know that Acutis was religious and never spoke to him about Jesus.
Oldani also never heard him say the phrase "The Eucharist is my motorway to heaven," which is now universally attributed to his dead friend.
Which doesn't change the fact that many in Assisi are already earning good money with the soon-to-be saint. From jute bags to T-shirts, medallions, pendants, rosaries and fridge magnets, Acutis' face looms large in the souvenir shops.
Figurines of him are also on sale in the church where Acutis now lies.
The rector of the parish, Franciscan priest Marco Gaballo, says: "People want something they can remember. Then that's fine with me."
However, money is now also being made online with the first saint of the internet age, with supposed relics on offer on websites.
A lock of hair allegedly from Acutis was recently sold for €2,110. That was too much for the church, leading Bishop of Assisi, Domenico Sorrentino, to file a criminal complaint.
Now the public prosecutor is investigating.
