Many saints all across the world are recognised by the Catholic Church, the youngest of whom was only 15 years old. His name was Carlo Acutis, known to be the first millennial saint in the whole wide world.
But who is Carlo Acutis, and what did he do to deserve this title?
Upon researching for this article, I watched an insightful documentary about the life of Carlo Acutis and his contributions to introducing young people like himself to the power of the Eucharist that most people, even Christians, are unaware of.
For the uninitiated, the Eucharist, or the Holy Communion, is a holy meal where Christians believe God comes very close to them.
This belief stood at the very heart of Carlo’s life, and it is what he wanted to share with people all around the world.
A Saint For All Seasons
Carlo Acutis was born in London in 1991 to well-to-do parents and later moved to Milan, Italy. While his parents were not particularly religious, Carlo showed an early devotion to Christianity and the Catholic Church. His mother recalls that whenever they passed by a church, Carlo would ask to go inside simply to greet Jesus in the tabernacle (a holy dwelling place).
Carlo was 7 when a bishop allowed him to receive his First Communion due to his deep love for Jesus and the Eucharist. From that moment on, the Eucharist became the centre of his life. Carlo often spent long hours in Eucharistic adoration, believing in the Lord’s real presence.
He once said, “People who put themselves before the sun get tanned; people who put themselves before the Eucharist become saints.”
Carlo constantly felt the living presence of Jesus and made it his mission to introduce his love for him to the world.
The Many Virtues of Saint Acutis
Rajesh, Acutis’ housekeeper, was a Hindu Brahmin whose father was a pundit. But there was another spiritual guide more insightful than his father: young Carlo Acutis himself.
Through Carlo’s gentle explanations and daily example, Rajesh was gradually introduced to the mystery of the Eucharist. Carlo would bring him into churches for quiet moments of prayer and explain to him gradually how Jesus is present in our blood, body, and soul.
He explained the faith with sweetness, speaking about Heaven, the love of God, and the dangers of temptation in the modern world (sex, drugs, social media, among others). Carlo explained how the Eucharist could strengthen people against these temptations. Over time, Rajesh began having dreams of Jesus and the Lord, and in 1999, he was baptised, considering Carlo his spiritual master.
Carlo was unlike any other child. While most kids his age would spend money on toys, Carlo would use his own money to buy sleeping bags for the homeless. He also brought them food and blankets and reminded Rajesh to never call them “tramps,” but creatures of God. His mother saw the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi in Carlo, a man who likewise served the poor.
God’s Influencer
Carlo was fluent in several languages and had a unique simplicity and enthusiasm that impressed his tutors and teachers. Though gifted academically, he often pretended not to know the answers so as not to embarrass his classmates. But when he did speak. His answers were clear, thoughtful, and deep.
Carlo understood the dangers of digital communication but believed technology could be used for good. It was during the summer that he decided to create a website dedicated to Eucharistic miracles. He researched miracles from around the world (over 150), studied university-level texts, taught himself programming, and created a website available in nearly twenty languages.
Of course, the Internet was still in its early stages, so Carlo relied on photographs, documents, and visual evidence to help people understand the reality of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. He believed that if people could see these signs, they would come to know Jesus.
During Carlo’s beatification in 2020, Pope Francis said:
"Carlo was well aware that the whole apparatus of communications, advertising and social networking can be used to lull us, to make us addicted to consumerism and buying the latest thing on the market, obsessed with our free time, caught up in negativity. Yet he knew how to use the new communications technology to transmit the Gospel, to communicate values and beauty."
He used the Internet for good. For God.
The Sickness that Struck the Saint
2006 was the final year of young Acutis.
He was 15 when he suddenly fell ill.
In a video recorded shortly before his death, Carlo said, “When I weigh seventy kilos, I am destined to die.”
He was diagnosed with leukaemia and passed away only three days later.
He was serene. He said, “I die happy because I have not wasted even a minute of my life doing things God did not like.” He offered his suffering for the Pope and the Church, hoping to go straight to Heaven.
It was tragic seeing a young soul blessed by God die at such an early age. At his funeral, the church was overflowing with people, many of them poor and from different religions, whom Carlo had helped throughout his life.
The Postmortem Miracles
It was 2013 when Brazilian parents were met with a tragic moment: their child was suffering from a severe pancreatic disorder with no hope of recovery.
The parents sought the advice of a priest who knew Carlo. He suggested they pray to God for intercession (saying a prayer on behalf of someone) through Carlo. They did, and to their surprise, the child’s pancreas was found to be completely healthy.
It took two years for the Vatican medical team to prove that it was, indeed, a miracle.
Following Carlo’s beatification in Assisi on October 10, 2020, more miracles were reported. One man prayed to Carlo for his mother, who was suffering from terminal cancer. Within months, the cancer disappeared. The mother recalled seeing visions of a male nurse resembling Carlo and a nun holding a rosary.
A French woman believed she could not walk again after a serious accident. After praying to Carlo, she recovered fully within months.
Today, Carlo Acutis’ body rests in Assisi, belonging to the universal Church. He lies peacefully in jeans and sneakers. It sounds odd to see that, but it shows how holiness is possible in everyday life, and that true love means leading others, especially the youth, toward eternal life with God.
Carlo Acutis is known as the first millennial saint in the world. His contribution to the Eucharistic Miracles website displays his deep passion for spreading the message of the Eucharist and helping others feel the presence of Jesus in their hearts and souls.
In the words of Carlo to Rajesh: "Life is short here. If you're a good person, if you lead a good life, you'll always live in eternity in Heaven."
. . .
References: