Carlo Acutis was an Italian Catholic boy known for his deep love for the Eucharist and his commitment to others. Born on May 3, 1991, and passing away on October 12, 2006, at only 15 years old from acute leukemia, he left a lasting impression.
Carlo Acutis was beatified on October 10, 2020, and will be canonized on April 27, 2025. He is known by nicknames such as the “millennial saint,” the “computer saint,” the “patron saint of (computer) nerds,” the “saint with sneakers,” and the “patron for youth.” No official patronages have been assigned yet.
Despite his deep faith, Carlo was an ordinary teenager with everyday hobbies. He loved football—his favorite team was AC Milan—and enjoyed playing video games like Pokémon and Halo. He was fond of animals and had several pets, including four dogs, two cats, and goldfish.
Carlo Acutis was born in London, England, but grew up in Milan, Italy. He was the only child in a relatively wealthy family that was culturally Catholic, attending Mass at most twice a year. Yet, this limited religious upbringing didn’t stop Carlo from becoming a great saint. From a young age, Carlo didn’t want to pass by a church without going in to greet Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. He was baptized in London on May 18, 1991. At the age of 7 (June 16, 1998), he received his First Holy Communion and began attending daily Mass—a tradition he kept until his death. He was confirmed on May 24, 2003.
From early on, Carlo Acutis had a special relationship with the Eucharist. His most famous quote is: “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.” For him, Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist was essential.
Carlo’s faith was expressed not only through prayer and attending Mass but also through acts of charity. He helped the homeless and defended children who were bullied. A remarkable example is when he returned home during a storm without his shoes—he had given them to a homeless person. He often gave not just out of abundance, but when it truly cost him something. By putting his faith into action, his parents were touched and eventually became practicing Catholics themselves.
His mission extended beyond the physical world. Carlo Acutis became a digital missionary by creating websites about Eucharistic miracles, Marian apparitions, Heaven, Hell and Purgatory, angels, and demons. His website on Eucharistic miracles became famous worldwide and is still a valuable resource for catechesis.
For the young Carlo Acutis, it wasn’t about the miracles themselves, but about the Eucharist as a means to build a relationship with Jesus. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.”
For Carlo, every person was unique and loved by God as His son or daughter. He emphasized the importance of this uniqueness, especially in a time when young people often compare themselves to influencers, chase likes, and struggle with insecurity. Carlo Acutis once said: “All people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies.” From his personal relationship with Jesus, Carlo gave others his full attention and love—whether this meant material help, a good conversation, or simply listening. The Eucharist was always his source of inspiration.
A few months before Carlo died, he predicted his own death, at a time when he was not yet sick. He recorded this with a smile in a video, later discovered by his mother on his laptop. On October 10, 2006, he received the Anointing of the Sick. Two days later, on October 12, 2006, Carlo Acutis died of acute leukemia at the age of 15. He offered his suffering to the Lord, for the Pope and for the Church. At his funeral, a surprising number of people showed up, especially many homeless individuals his parents had never met, people whom Carlo had secretly helped. He was beatified on October 10, 2020, by Pope Francis in the Papal Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.
On October 10, 2020, Carlo Acutis was beatified by Pope Francis in the Papal Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. His body lies in repose at the Sanctuary of the Spogliazione in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi.
After his death, Carlo Acutis’s mother, Antonia Salzano, had a dream in which St. Francis of Assisi told her: “Your son now holds one of the highest places in Heaven.” She later dreamt of her son Carlo. He told her: “Mom, I will be beatified, and soon after, I will be canonized.” He also told her in that dream that she and his father would have twins. A few years later, twins were born: Carlo’s younger brother and sister.
Because of his simplicity, care for the homeless, love of animals, and love for the Eucharist, Carlo Acutis is often compared to St. Francis of Assisi. Both had a deep spiritual bond with Jesus and lived in humility and simplicity, despite their wealthy backgrounds.
Carlo Acutis is a shining example of faith, charity, and digital evangelization. His legacy continues to inspire young people to deepen their faith and place the Eucharist at the center of their lives. Carlo Acutis, the Francis of our time. Carlo Acutis, an inspiration to youth. Carlo Acutis, friend and servant of Jesus. Carlo Acutis, pray for us.
CARLO, SMILE OF HEAVEN, for this wounded and restless world, we praise God for your simple, joyful, and holy life. You trusted in God’s plan and embraced the gift of having your youth taken away to dedicate yourself in Heaven, with Jesus and Mary, to a boundless mission of love.
Your mortal body rests where Saint Francis of Assisi renounced all earthly possessions, and together with him, you proclaim to the world that Jesus is our only joy.
A young man full of dreams, drawn to nature, sports, and the internet, but even more captivated by the miracle of Jesus truly present in the Holy Eucharist, help us to believe that He is there—living and real— a mystical “highway” leading us to Heaven. Teach us to gaze upon Him with Mary, in the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.
Explain to us, Carlo, that only Jesus, who unites Himself with us, makes us “original and not copies” and truly sets us free, far beyond the fleeting trends of this world.
Obtain for us the grace to meet Him in every creature, but especially in the poor, so that humanity may become more just and fraternal, rich in beauty and hope, to the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Written by the Bishop of Assisi, Monsignor Domenico Sorrentino.
Canonization of Carlo Acutis, April 27, 2025, at the Vatican, by Pope Francis. Stichting Acutis will be there, will you?
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