Last Thursday, Pope Francis approved the miracle attributed to the teenager and Blessed Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15.
The approval of the miracle opens the door to the canonization of the young patron of World Youth Day in Lisbon, who is preparing to become the first saint of the millennium generation, after being the youngest contemporary to be beatified by Francis in Assisi in 2020.
The healing of a seven-year-old Brazilian boy suffering from a pancreatic disease, after he came into contact with one of his relics, was his first miracle to be approved in 2013.
The second miracle, now recognized by the Pope, is related to a Costa Rican woman who went to pray at the young man's tomb for the healing of her daughter, who had suffered head trauma after falling off her bike. The young girl began to recover after her mother's pilgrimage.
An Internet and computer mad young man with non-practicing Italian parents, Carlo was born in London and moved to Milan at a young age.
The “cyber-apostle of the Eucharist” created a website about miracles and was known in his neighborhood for his kindness to those living on the margins of society.
With his savings, he bought sleeping bags for the homeless and brought them hot drinks in the evenings,” said the mother, according to the Catholic News Agency. “He used to say that it was better to have one less pair of shoes if it meant being able to do more good work.”
Acutis also volunteered at a soup kitchen in Milan. The bishop of Assisi, Domenico Sorrentino, said this month that a refectory for the poor would be opened in Acutis' honor.
“When he died, at the funeral, the church was full of poor people. Everyone else wondered what they were doing there. Well, Carlo used to help them in secret,” said Nicola Gori, who represented Acutis' beatification case. ”The family knew, because his mother would go with him since he was only 15. She gave him sleeping bags and food, so they wanted to go to the funeral
The date of his canonization has yet to be announced.
