Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who died of leukemia at age 15 in 2006, was declared a saint by the Vatican on September 7, 2025, becoming the first millennial to receive sainthood. The canonization followed two officially recognized miracles attributed to his intercession.

Acutis, known as “God’s influencer” for using digital tools to promote Catholic teachings, gained attention for creating a website documenting reported miracles. His cause for sainthood advanced after two healing cases were validated by the Church. In 2012, a Brazilian boy named Mattheus Vianna recovered from a rare pancreatic disorder after visiting Acutis’s tomb in Assisi, Italy. In 2022, Costa Rican student Valeria Valverde regained consciousness and made a full recovery from a severe brain injury following prayers at the same site.

The canonization ceremony, presided over by Pope Leo XIV, marked the first time a pope of American origin led the event. Thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the rites, which also honored Pier Giorgio Frassatti, another young saint. Acutis’s mother, Antonia Salzano, described her son as a “message of hope” who demonstrated how technology could be used for good.

The Vatican highlighted Acutis’s relatability to younger generations, noting his casual style and digital outreach efforts. His canonization coincides with the Church’s broader strategy to engage Gen Z amid declining youth participation in traditional religious practices.