The date of canonisation – official admission of a dead person into sainthood – of the Catholic Church's first millennial saint has been confirmed.
On Friday, June 13, Pope Leo XIV announced that the Italian teenager, Carlo Acutis, will enter sainthood on September 7, 2025.
Acutis died from leukaemia in 2006 and will be declared a saint by Leo at a ceremony in St Peter's Square expected to be attended by thousands of young Catholic people.
Carlo Acut'is efforts for the Catholic Church
The teen was just 15-year-old when he passed away, but during his life he used his computing skills to spread awareness of the Catholic faith.
Acutis set up a website on the internet, where he documented reports of miracles.
The Vatican noted that after Pope Leo holds a meeting with the cardinals, he will canonise Acutis in September.
With the Italian teen, another young person will also embrace sainthood: Pier Giorgio Frassatti, who died in 1925 at age 24.
Acutis was nicknamed God's influencer and developed a strong following among young Catholics.
His canonisation also comes amid recent surveys in the United Kingdom and United States, which show a rise in interest in Catholicism among Gen Z.
The British-born Italian loved video games and is often drawn wearing jeans and trainers, making him a relatable figure to a new generation of Catholics.
Acutis' canonisation had been scheduled for April 27 but was postponed after the death of Pope Francis.
