Bl. Carlo Acutis

Blessed Carlo Acutis was born in 1991, making him younger than me. It's an interesting experience, adoring a saint who was born later than yourself. I hope I get other opportunities to, for it's easy to imagine the lives of the saints as being in far away times and places, rather than wearing a Spider-Man costume for Halloween. It really drives home the point that, in any time and place, each of us are called to sainthood in our own way.


Lifetime: May 3, 1991 to October 12, 2006
Region: Milan, Italy
Patronages: Youth; Programmers; Video gamers
Iconograpy: Rosary; Computer; Monstrance
Feast Day: October 12

Carlo Acutis was born in London, but his Italian family moved back to Italy when he was young. Though he was baptized as an infant, his family wasn't particularly religious. In fact, before his birth, his mother says she had only been to church three times.

Nonetheless, Carlo learned about the faith from a young age from his grandmother before she died, from his babysitter, and from his school. Even as a child, he began going to Confession weekly, prayed the Rosary and attended adoration every day, and in the evenings dedicated his time to helping homeless people. In school, he became a source of support for friends who were going through hard times and a defender against bullies. He regularly made pilgrimages to Assisi to visit the sites of his hero St. Francis of Assisi. 

Carlo also shared in hobbies that were typical of kids his age, however. He was interested in films and comic books. He was a fan of video games, which he played on his PlayStation, and he was into Pokémon. And he was skilled with computers and the internet.

Carlo developed his computer skills in part for a mission he began when he was just 11. He wanted to use new media to evangelize and proclaim the Gospel, so he created a website called The Eucharistic Miracles of the World to catalogue all the reported Eucharistic miracles in the world. He finished the catalogue when he was 14. 

He also began a second website, The Appeals of Our Lady, to catalogue all the apparitions of Mary and Marian shrines in the world. It was completed after his death by his mother.

Sadly, Carlo developed a severe case of Leukemia at a young age. After his diagnosis, he offered up his suffering for the pope. Carlo Acutis died in 2006 when he was only 15, and was buried in Assisi according to his wishes. 

Carlo Acutis was beatified on October 10, 2020 in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, in Assisi, Italy. 

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