In the quaint medieval town of Assisi, Italy, throngs of pilgrims eagerly flock to honor not only the revered saints, Francis and Clare, but also the church’s newest addition, Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to ascend to sainthood. His canonization is set for April 27. Coming from southern Italy, Maria Rosario Riccio, alongside a parish youth group of about 50, reflects on Acutis’ relevance. “St. Francis and St. Clare are significant, but Carlo is one of today’s youth,” she explained, emphasizing his ability to demonstrate the coexistence of faith and the typical modern teen experience.
The group visited the Santuario della Spogliazione, also known as Santa Maria Maggiore, a solemn church associated with St. Francis’s renunciation of his family wealth over eight centuries ago. Here lies Acutis, dressed casually in jeans and a sweatshirt, showcasing his casual demeanor. On a bustling Saturday, visitors from various places, including a priest with parishioners from the Azores and a nun from Colombia, passed by. Many either grasped rosaries or snapped selfies next to the young man’s resting place, astonished by his life and the growing devotion following his death from leukemia at 15.
Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi observed the overwhelming reverence for Acutis, acknowledging a heightened pilgrimage to the site due to “his joyful embracement of faith.” Acutis, usually depicted in a red polo shirt with a backpack, has become a familiar icon across Assisi, his image as prominent in souvenir shops as that of St. Francis. A local store owner, Silvia Balducci, notes her curiosity about Acutis, particularly his draw for youth fascination.
Described as an ordinary but profoundly devoted Italian boy, Acutis touched many through his posthumous miracle work, while encouraging young people to embrace faith in a time of waning religious involvement. “Carlo wasn’t otherworldly; he was a real person,” his mother, Antonia Salzano Acutis, shared, emphasizing the exceptional potential in an ordinary life touched by Christ. She often recalls her son’s favorite saying: “Everyone is born an original, but many die photocopies.”
Salzano recounted how Carlo, whose parents weren’t deeply religious initially, displayed early signs of devotion—visiting churches just to greet Jesus and Mary—while enjoying typical youth activities. Despite his strong faith, he delicately balanced friendships with less religious peers. Embracing actions of kindness, he assisted the needy and preferred simplicity over affluent indulgences. His wishes for his family to support the poor over buying luxuries resonate with St. Francis’s austere lifestyle. Acutis admired St. Francis so greatly that he wished to be interred in Assisi, drawing parallels with the saint’s outreach from church to public spheres and his potential patronage over the digital realm where youth congregate today.
Known for his dedication to the Eucharist, Acutis’ online virtual tour of miracles involving consecrated bread and wine transformation into flesh and blood continues to be widely utilized. His influence as “a bridge to Jesus” persists, demonstrating grace and acceptance even in the face of terminal illness, his mother noted. Miraculous interventions associated with him have played key roles in his canonization, such as healing a Costa Rican student post prayer for his intercession.
Regular visits to Acutis’ shrine by groups of mothers from Perugia exemplify the peace and hope he’s inspired, reassured by Carlo’s reflection of divine fatherhood’s kindness. Meanwhile, a Confirmation group from Lake Garda gathers around his shrine, drawing lessons from his life of compassion and interaction. Veronica Abraham, a catechist, highlights how engaging he was, “just sitting and talking to those in need.” Her son Mario, aged 13, finds Acutis’ approachability and inherent kindness motivating, seeing him as a role model. Mario, who attends services regularly, considers the possibility of sainthood with a youthful sense of hope and determination.
With Carlo Acutis serving as a modern-day exemplar of faith intertwined with youthfulness, his growing influence continues to captivate and inspire believers from all walks of life.