Teenage Italian with 'God's influencer' moniker set to be Catholic Church's initial saint of the millennial era.
Pope Francis has acknowledged a second miracle linked to Acutis, a teenage gamer and computer programmer who lost his life to leukemia in 2006 at age 15.
During his brief life, Acutis capitalized on his tech skills to promote the Catholic faith online. He even established a website dedicated to documenting miracles.
Acutis was originally from London, but later shifted to Milan, Italy to live with his family. Although his parents did not practice religion, his Polish nanny played a significant role in fostering his faith. Afterward, his remains were transferred to Assisi, Italy, and presented at a shrine alongside other relics related to him.
To be canonized, those vying for sainthood typically require two miracles to be connected to their names. The most recent of which is linked to a girl from Costa Rica who supposedly recovered from a severe head injury inflicted when she fell off her bike in Florence, Italy. Her mother reported praying for her daughter's recovery at Acutis' tomb in Assisi.
Acutis received the title of "blessed" and became beatified in 2020. It was then that the first miracle attributed to him was revealed: He supposedly restored the health of a Brazilian boy who had been born with a pancreatic defect, making it difficult for him to consume food typically.
After the confirmation of two miracles, the next step involves a gathering of cardinals to endorse Acutis' sainthood and set a date for his canonization. The Catholic Church aims to bridge the gap with millennials in this digital era.
Born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s, Acutis can be defined as a millennial. His loved ones and friends recall how he loved playing video games, such as Halo, Super Mario, and Pokemon.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
