If you’ve spent any time online looking at religious news lately, you’ve probably seen his face. A kid in a Nike tracksuit, messy hair, and a bright smile. He doesn’t look like the statues you see in old cathedrals. That’s because he isn't from the Middle Ages.
Carlo Acutis was canonized on September 7, 2025.
It was a massive deal. St. Peter's Square was packed. We’re talking about 70,000 people—mostly teenagers and young adults—all gathered in the heat of a Roman summer to see a 15-year-old officially declared a saint. Honestly, it felt more like a tech conference or a concert than a traditional church service. People were wearing T-shirts with his face on them.
But if you’re confused about the date, you aren't alone. There was a lot of back-and-forth.
The Drama Behind the Canonization Date
Life happens, and sometimes history gets messy. Originally, Pope Francis had planned to canonize Carlo on April 27, 2025. It was supposed to be the highlight of the "Jubilee of Teenagers." Thousands of kids had already booked flights to Rome. Then, things took a turn.
Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025. Just six days before the ceremony.
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Everything stopped. The Vatican went into mourning. The conclave had to meet. Because of that, the ceremony was pushed back several months. It wasn't until the new Pope, Pope Leo XIV, took office that the new date was set. He chose September 7, 2025, to do it alongside another young Italian legend, Pier Giorgio Frassati.
It was a smart move. It linked two different eras of "cool" holiness together. One guy from the 1920s who loved mountain climbing, and one kid from the 2000s who loved Pokémon and coding.
Why Everyone is Obsessed With Him
Usually, when you think of a saint, you think of someone who lived hundreds of years ago and probably never had a cell phone. Carlo changed that. He died of leukemia in 2006. He used his laptop to build a website cataloging Eucharistic miracles.
Think about that. A saint who knew how to use Dreamweaver.
The Church calls him the "Cyber Apostle." He’s basically the patron saint of the internet (unofficially, for now). He loved PlayStation. He liked action movies. He was just... normal. He once said, "All people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies." That's the kind of stuff that hits different when you're a teenager trying to find your way in a world full of Instagram filters.
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The Miracles That Made It Official
You don't just get to be a saint because you're a nice kid who likes computers. The Vatican is pretty strict about the "miracle" requirement. For Carlo, there were two big ones that the medical boards couldn't explain.
- The Boy in Brazil (2013): A four-year-old with a serious pancreatic defect was healed after touching a piece of Carlo’s T-shirt. He went from being unable to eat to asking for a steak and fries.
- The Girl in Costa Rica (2022): This was the big one for the 2025 canonization. A 21-year-old named Valeria Valverde had a horrible bicycle accident in Florence. She was in a coma with a shattered skull. Her mom went to Carlo’s tomb in Assisi, prayed, and left a note. That same day, Valeria started breathing on her own. Ten days later, she was out of ICU with no permanent brain damage.
Doctors looked at the scans. They couldn't explain it. The Vatican's medical committee agreed.
What It Was Like in Rome
September 7, 2025, was a vibe. I mean, you had people from every corner of the globe. There were groups from the Philippines, huge contingents from Brazil, and tons of Americans. Pope Leo XIV presided over the Mass.
The atmosphere wasn't somber. It was loud.
When the Pope officially read the formula in Latin, declaring Carlo a saint, the square erupted. People were crying, but they were also cheering like their favorite team just won the World Cup. It’s not every day you see a 15-year-old raised to the "glory of the altars."
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The relic brought up to the altar wasn't an old bone in a gold box. It was a piece of his heart. It was a reminder that he was a living, breathing person not that long ago. His mom, Antonia Salzano, was there. Imagine watching your son be declared a saint. Most parents just hope their kid cleans their room.
Why This Matters for 2026 and Beyond
Now that we're in 2026, the "Carlo effect" is still growing. He’s become the go-to guy for anyone struggling with digital addiction or looking for a way to balance faith with a modern lifestyle. He’s proof that you don't have to go live in a cave to be holy.
You can be a saint and still play Halo.
If you want to dive deeper into his story, you should look into his digital exhibition on Eucharistic miracles. It’s still online. It’s essentially his "last will and testament" in digital form.
Next Steps for You:
If you're ever in Italy, take the train to Assisi. Don't just go for St. Francis. Go to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. You can see Carlo there. He’s lying in a glass tomb, wearing his jeans and sneakers. It’s one of the most surreal and beautiful things you’ll ever see. It makes the whole "sainthood" thing feel real and attainable.
Also, check out the official Vatican YouTube channel. They still have the full replay of the September 7, 2025, ceremony. Watching the moment the tapestry was unveiled on the front of St. Peter's is worth the data.
Whatever you believe, his life is a pretty wild reminder that being an "original" is a lot better than being a "photocopy."