Carlo Acutis, a British teenager renowned for his digital evangelism, has been canonised by Pope Leo in a historic ceremony attended by thousands. The event took place in St. Peter’s Square, where the Pope also canonised Pier Giorgio Frassati. This marks Pope Leo's first canonisation ceremony, drawing a crowd of tens of thousands, including many millennials and families with young children.

Originally scheduled for earlier this year, the ceremony was postponed due to the death of Pope Francis in April. The Vatican reported that 36 cardinals, 270 bishops, and hundreds of priests participated in the Mass, highlighting the significant appeal of both saints among the faithful.

Born in London and raised in Milan, Acutis became a modern role model for young Catholics. He was known as a "digital disciple" who utilised technology to promote his faith. Acutis learned to code to share his beliefs online and limited his gaming to just one hour a week, prioritising real-life relationships over virtual ones. Despite enjoying typical teenage activities like hiking and video games, he also dedicated time to teaching catechism and helping the homeless.

At the age of 11, Acutis began creating an online exhibit documenting over 100 eucharistic miracles recognised by the Catholic Church. Tragically, he fell ill in October 2006 and passed away from acute leukaemia just ten days later. Following his death, his body was laid to rest in Assisi, a location he had chosen due to his admiration for St. Francis.

Since then, millions of young Catholics have visited Assisi to pay their respects, viewing Acutis' glass-sided tomb where he is dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, holding a Rosary. He was declared "blessed" in 2020 after the Vatican acknowledged a miraculous healing attributed to his intercession, involving a child in Brazil. A second miracle, involving the recovery of a Costa Rican student from severe head trauma, further advanced his path to sainthood.

Pope Francis had been a strong advocate for Acutis' canonisation, believing that his example could inspire young people to engage with the Church in the digital age. In a 2019 document, the Pope noted, "Carlo was well aware that the whole apparatus of communications, advertising and social networking can be used to lull us, to make us addicted to consumerism and buying the latest thing on the market. Yet he knew how to use the new communications technology to transmit the Gospel, to communicate values and beauty."