In a world longing for authentic witnesses of holiness, two young lives are set to light the way for a new generation of Catholics. Pope Leo XIV has confirmed that Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati will be canonized together on September 7, 2025, during the Church’s Holy Year—a moment that will mark the first time a millennial becomes a saint.
According to the Vatican News Service, the announcement was made during the first public consistory of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate on June 13. Originally scheduled for April 27 during the Vatican’s Jubilee of Teenagers, Carlo’s canonization was postponed following the death of Pope Francis just six days before. But the anticipation has only grown stronger, especially among the young faithful who look to him as a sign of hope.
Why is this moment so significant? Carlo Acutis, born in London in 1991 and raised in Milan, embraced a deep love for the Eucharist from an early age. “To always be united to Jesus: This is my life plan,” he once told his mother after receiving his First Communion, according to Catholic News Agency (CNA). Carlo was not only devoted to daily Mass and acts of kindness—he was also a tech-savvy teenager who used his digital skills to evangelize. His Eucharistic Miracles website, which catalogued over 100 documented cases of Eucharistic phenomena, has since traveled to thousands of parishes worldwide.
His beatification in 2020 made him the first millennial to be declared “Blessed.” Now, just 19 years after his death from leukemia at age 15, he will be canonized—a process that historically took centuries. “It’s quite amazing,” said Fr. Anthony Figueirida, author of a book on Acutis. He called Carlo “a sign of goodness” in a world “filled with bad news” (New York Times).
Two miracles have been approved as signs of Carlo’s intercession. The first involved the healing of a Brazilian child with a malformed pancreas. The second, formally recognized in May 2024, was the recovery of 21-year-old Valeria Valverde from Costa Rica, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a bicycle accident. Her mother had prayed for Acutis’ intercession at his tomb in Assisi. According to CNA, Valeria’s doctors had little hope—but she survived and recovered fully.
Carlo’s influence doesn’t stop with miracles. His witness has brought people to conversion, including his own family and his Hindu au pair, who converted to Catholicism. “People who place themselves before the sun get a tan; people who place themselves before the Eucharist become saints,” he once said—a quote that continues to resonate with Catholic youth.
Joining Carlo in sainthood is another beloved figure among the faithful—Pier Giorgio Frassati. Born in 1901 in Turin, Italy, and beatified in 1990 by Pope John Paul II, Frassati was a mountaineer, student, and tireless servant of the poor. His motto, Verso l’Alto—“to the heights”—reflects both his love of mountain climbing and his spiritual aspiration toward heaven.
Frassati contracted polio at the age of 24, likely from his charitable work among the sick. He died on July 4, 1925, and his legacy has endured among Catholic youth movements and service organizations around the world. “Entirely immersed in the mystery of God and totally dedicated to the constant service of his neighbor,” Pope John Paul II once said of him.
The decision to canonize both men on the same day, and during the Church’s Jubilee of Youth, highlights the Vatican’s desire to place young, relatable models of holiness before today’s faithful. The ceremony will take place in St. Peter’s Square and is expected to draw pilgrims from across the globe.
As Domenico Sorrentino, Archbishop of Assisi, noted, Carlo was “a boy full of life,” whose brief time on earth offered “hope to younger generations who face a future that is not so easy to envisage” (New York Times). Together, Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati show that holiness is not reserved for the past, nor is it distant from ordinary life. It is alive and climbing—toward the heights.
Thank God for these two young saints!!
I am so happy this is finally happening. I started following Blessed Carlos Acutis this year and have been following Blessed Pier Giorgio for a few years. I am from Conway SC and go to the Blessed Pier Giorgio Catholic Church in Carolina Forrest in Myrtle Beach. It is the first Catholic Church in the US to be named for Blessed Pier Giorgio. Right now, we are holding mass in a Catholic high school that is located next to the property that we want to build a church on. But of course the issue is always money. The Catholic diocese of Charleston owns the property. They are making us pay for the land, before we start building the church. If they own the land, why can’t we start building the church and just owe them the money? But no, they want us to have all the money for the church first and then pay for the land and the build the church. If we have to pay for the land why can’t we start building the church right now? We care also having trouble getting permits to start. Yet, they built a school down the road. The bishop of Charleston has been being a pain. The bishop made us a parish a few years ago but since then, has not lifted in a finger to help us. The bishop before him was all about building us a church and he was ready to give us what we needed to build the church and then of course he was transferred. Hmmmmm, sound fishy. And now the new bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune CS is not doing anything to help us. Does anyone out there that wants to help us to build a church would be gratefully appreciated. we have quite a bit in the bank for the church but the bishop wants more money. Our parish is small and made up of mostly elderly people. Who don’t have a lot money. There’s note in their he weekly bulletin about turning their inheritanceto make the church happen, but we know if we get the church started and people see it being built, we will get more parishioners. The school is doing poorly because they’re on enough students to fill classroom. The school could use a 2nd Floor to hold more classes, a cafeteria, and a gym.Do you know of anyone that could help us? Thank you.
This is so wonderful! 2 new young Saints, how fantastic they are being canonized in 2025! So fantastic…
I am learning more about my Catholic faith every day. What a beautiful example of holiness and love for others. I know we face a future that is not so easy. Turn to God for all things, especially when we are conflicted and/or feel stuck. May we all experience peace and love always.