By Courtney Mares
Vatican City, Apr 27, 2025 / 08:00 am
The unexpected death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, April 21, postponed the much-anticipated canonization of Carlo Acutis, the Italian teenager who captivated a generation of young Catholics with his love of the Eucharist and passion for technology.
Now, as the Church prepares for a conclave to elect a new pope, tens of thousands of young pilgrims who traveled to Rome for the canonization remain in the Eternal City, holding vigil for the departed pope.
Acutis’ journey to sainthood has unfolded alongside the lives of the last three popes, each of whom has marked a different chapter in the teenager’s short life and legacy.
Carlo went on pilgrimage to see John Paul II, offered up his suffering from cancer for Benedict XVI, and was later beatified during the pontificate of Pope Francis. Now, it will be up to the next pope to canonize the Church’s first millennial saint.
A childhood inspired by John Paul II
Born in 1991 during the pontificate of John Paul II, Carlo Acutis grew up at a time when the Polish pontiff was inspiring millions with his travels and teaching. It was Carlo’s Polish nanny, herself devoted to the pope, who helped cultivate Carlo’s early faith.
In October 2000, the Acutis family traveled to Rome to attend a landmark moment of the Great Jubilee: Pope John Paul II’s act of entrustment of the new millennium to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Standing in St. Peter’s Square, Carlo felt a deep connection to the pope and his mission.
