News | UK A London boy who died of leukaemia aged 15 is to become the Catholic church ’s first millennial saint. Pope Francis decreed that a second posthumous miracle has been attributed to Carlo Acutis, qualifying the teenager for canonisation. Carlo was born and baptised in the capital in 1991.
Of 912 people canonised by Pope Francis, the earliest date of birth was previously 1926. Dubbed “the cyberapostle of the Eucharist”, Carlo was suggested as a patron saint of the internet due to his love of computer programming and building websites. His Italian mother and a half-English, half-Italian father who was working in the UK as a merchant banker were non-practicing.
Carlo’s family moved back to Milan when he was young and he was reportedly very devout from an early age, taking communion every day. Having researched the miracles and apparitions, he used his computer skills to create website documenting their histories, which brought him to the attention of the Vatican. Mr Acutis' nickname, God's influencer, has been attributed to him after his death due to this work.
His mother, Antonia Salzano, said her son would offer to support classmates whose parents were going through divorces, defend bullied disabled peers and take meals and sleeping bags to local rough sleepers in Milan. Carlo fell ill while considering becoming a priest. After the infection failed to clear up, he was taken to hospital where he was eventually diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia - can.