Carlo Acutis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BlessedCarlo Acutis |
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Photograph of Carlo Acutis
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| Born | 3 May 1991 London, United Kingdom |
| Died | 12 October 2006 (aged 15) Monza, Italy |
| Resting place | Santa Maria Maggiore, Assisi |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 10 October 2020, Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Assisi, Italy, by Cardinal Agostino Vallini (on behalf of Pope Francis) |
| Major shrine | Santa Maria Maggiore (Sanctuary of the Spoliation), Assisi, Italy |
| Feast | 12 October |
| Patronage | |
Carlo Acutis (born May 3, 1991 – died October 12, 2006) was a young Italian Catholic who was born in England. He was very good with computers and used his skills to share his faith. Carlo created a website to document amazing Eucharistic miracles and approved Marian apparitions. He did this before he sadly passed away from a serious illness called leukaemia.
Carlo was known for being happy, his computer talents, and his deep love for the Eucharist, which is a central part of Catholic faith. This love became a very important part of his life. Pope Francis declared him "Blessed" on October 10, 2020. This happened just two days before the 14th anniversary of his death. Carlo is now on his way to becoming the first saint from the millennial generation in the Catholic Church.
Contents
Carlo's Early Life
Birth and Baptism
Carlo Acutis was born in London, England, on May 3, 1991. His parents, Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano, came from Italian families. Carlo was baptized on May 18, 1991, at the Church of Our Lady of Dolours, Chelsea.
His parents were not very religious when Carlo was born. They had lived and worked in London and Germany.
Moving to Italy
Carlo's family moved to Milan, Italy, in September 1991, soon after he was born. His parents started working in their family businesses. Carlo was cared for by nannies during his early years.
Once, at a daycare center, other children tried to take his toys. His nanny tried to teach him to stand up for himself. Carlo replied, "Jesus would not be happy if I lost my temper." This showed his kind and gentle nature even when he was very young.
In the summer, Carlo would visit his mother's parents in Centola. After a day at the beach, he would join older women in the local church to pray the rosary.
School Days
Carlo started primary school in Milan in September 1997. He later moved to a school closer to his home. On his walks to school, he noticed the people who took care of homes, many of whom were not Italian. He learned their names and greeted them personally every morning.
He continued his middle school education at the Marcelline Tommaseo Institute. Later, he attended the Jesuit Instituto Leone XIII for high school. Carlo was an average student, but he loved to read and learn on his own. He was especially interested in computer science. He also taught himself to play the saxophone.
Outside of school, Carlo volunteered to help people who were homeless and in need. He also enjoyed films, editing comics, and playing video games. Carlo sometimes ate too many sweets, like Nutella. As a sacrifice, he would give up sweets or his favorite films. He admired the simple life of the Franciscan order and tried to live like them.
Acts of Kindness
Carlo loved nature. His father bought him a special tool to pick up trash while hiking. At the beach, he used an inflatable boat and snorkel to collect garbage from the ocean. He also got very upset when he saw young people stepping on lizards. Carlo loved animals and had two cats, four dogs, and fish at home. He often asked his parents to take in stray animals he found.
Carlo cared deeply about his friends. He worried about friends whose parents were getting divorced and invited them to his home to support them. He defended his classmates when they were bullied. If two friends were fighting, he would invite them to his house after school to help them make up. He also spoke up for girls who were bothered by boys.
One year, his grandparents gave him several games for his birthday. Carlo visited the Capuchin friars in Milan to donate them for children who had no toys. In the evenings, Carlo would ask his grandmother to make a snack for a man who begged in the park. He would also give the man some of his pocket money to buy coffee.
Carlo's Family Life
Carlo's mother, Antonia, grew up in a family that wasn't very religious. It was Carlo's strong faith and his questions that brought her back to her own faith. The same happened for his father.
Carlo was an only child for most of his life. His cousin, Flavia, was his best friend. The Acutis family also had a helper from India named Rajesh Mohur. Rajesh and Carlo quickly became friends. After talking with Carlo about Christianity, Rajesh decided to be baptized. Another friend of Rajesh's, Seeven Kistnen, also converted after meeting Carlo.
The Acutis family sometimes invited priests to dinner. They also helped students from less wealthy backgrounds to study at religious schools.
Carlo loved to travel and visited many countries. But the town of Assisi was his favorite. His parents even bought a second home there.
Even though Carlo was very good with computers, his parents weren't. They said they didn't know how to set up parental controls on his computer. Carlo's parents wanted more children but couldn't have them during his lifetime. Exactly four years after Carlo's death, his mother, Antonia, gave birth to twins, Michele and Francesca. She believes this happened because Carlo helped from heaven.
Carlo's Faith and Devotion
When Carlo was three years old, his grandfather died. Carlo was there when his grandfather received a special blessing called the anointing of the sick. His grandfather later appeared to him in a dream, asking for prayers. Soon after, Carlo asked to be taken to church. He said he wanted to pray for his grandfather, who had "gone to see Jesus." When Carlo showed interest in the Catholic faith, his Polish babysitter helped answer his questions.
Parish Life
When Carlo was 12, he became a catechist in his parish, Santa Maria Segreta. A catechist is someone who teaches about the Catholic faith. Carlo's parish priest said that Carlo was "exceptionally transparent" and truly wanted to grow in his love for God and others.
Sacraments
On June 16, 1998, Carlo received his First Communion at age seven. He often received Communion and spent time in Eucharistic Adoration, which is praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament. He was confirmed on May 24, 2003.
Pilgrimages
Carlo visited an Eastern Orthodox church in Meteora and saw people kissing icons. He also visited famous Catholic sites like Lourdes, France, in 2005. The next year, in 2006, he traveled to Portugal to visit the Sanctuary of the Most Holy Miracle of Santarém and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima.
His father once suggested they visit the Holy Land. But Carlo said he would rather stay in Milan. He explained, "Why go to where Jesus was 2,000 years ago, whereas He is here now?" Instead, he preferred to visit all the churches in Milan.
Love for Saints
Carlo was interested in the lives of saints. He especially admired Francis of Assisi, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, Dominic Savio, Tarcisius, Bernadette Soubirous, and Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi. He often prayed to his guardian angel and had a special devotion to St. Michael the Archangel.
Carlo's Websites
People thought Carlo was a "computer geek" because he loved computers and the internet so much. He was skilled in using different computer programs and languages like Dreamweaver, Java, C++, and Ubuntu. He often helped others with their computer problems.
When he was 14, his parish priest asked him to create a webpage for his church in Milan. After that, a priest at his high school asked him to make a website to encourage volunteering. For this work, he won a national competition.
Eucharistic Miracles Website
Carlo wanted to share his faith with other young people. So, he decided to create a website that would list every reported Eucharistic miracle in the world. He also included a list of approved Marian apparitions of the Catholic Church. He admired how Blessed Giacomo Alberione used media to spread the Gospel. Carlo wanted to do the same with his website.
He started working on the website in 2004 and spent two and a half years on it. His whole family helped him with the project. The website was launched on October 4, 2006, just days before he died. Carlo was in the hospital and couldn't attend the first showing of his exhibition in Rome. It was also shown at his high school.
Carlo admired the designs of Italian cars like Lancia, Ferrari, and Maserati. He wondered why the Church couldn't present Christ and the Church in a better, more appealing way.
Carlo's Final Days
His Illness
On October 1, 2006, Carlo developed a sore throat. Doctors first thought it was a common illness. But a few days later, the pain got worse. By October 8, Carlo was too weak to get out of bed for Mass.
He was taken to a hospital that specialized in blood diseases. There, he was diagnosed with a very serious type of leukaemia. Doctors said he had little chance of getting better. He was quickly moved to intensive care.
Carlo offered his suffering for Pope Benedict XVI and for the Catholic Church. He said, "I offer to the Lord the sufferings that I will have to undergo for the Pope and for the Church." When doctors asked if he was in great pain, he replied that "there are people who suffer much more than me." His last words to his mother were:
Mom, don't be afraid. Since Jesus became a man, death has become the passage towards life, and we don't need to flee it. Let us prepare ourselves to experience something extraordinary in the eternal life.
Death and Burial
Carlo fell into a coma and was moved to the intensive care unit. He had a serious brain bleed and was declared brain dead on October 11. Carlo died on October 12, 2006, at 6:45 p.m. He was 15 years old.
Carlo's parents brought his body home. Many people came over the next four days to say goodbye. A crowd of strangers attended his funeral. Many young people who had stopped going to church returned for his funeral and for a memorial Mass three months later. A group called "Friends of Carlo Acutis" was formed to organize yearly memorial Masses.
Carlo's final wish was to be buried in Assisi. A year after his death, his body was moved to the Assisi cemetery. On April 6, 2018, his body was brought to the Sanctuary of the Spoliation so that people could visit his resting place.
Carlo's Legacy
After the Catholic Church recognized a miracle linked to Carlo in 2020, his mother, Antonia, told the news that her son had appeared to her in dreams. He told her he would not only be declared "Blessed" but also a saint. There are now websites dedicated to his cause for sainthood and to the exhibitions he inspired.
Photo Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles
To remember Carlo, bishops Raffaello Martinelli and Angelo Comastri helped create a traveling photo exhibition. It shows all the sites of Eucharistic miracles. This exhibition has traveled to many countries across five continents.
The book version of the exhibit has been translated into 18 languages. It has been shown in over 10,000 places, including churches and youth clubs. The exhibit was also brought to the ceremony where Francisco and Jacinta Marto became saints in Fatima, Portugal.
Parishes Named After Blessed Carlo Acutis
On December 15, 2020, a new parish was created in England and named after Blessed Carlo Acutis. It includes three churches in Wolverhampton. In July 2021, two parishes in Chicago also combined and were placed under the patronage of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
Other Tributes
In April 2022, the first life-sized statue of Carlo Acutis in the United Kingdom was put up at Carfin Grotto, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Carlo Acutis once said, "We are all born originals, but many of us die as photocopies." Pope Francis used this phrase in a document about young people in 2018. He praised Carlo, saying that Carlo didn't fall into the trap of trying to be like everyone else. He encouraged young people to use their unique gifts from God.
Pope Francis has also spoken about Carlo as a role model for people living normal lives to become holy. Relics of Carlo Acutis, along with his Eucharistic miracles photo exhibition, have been traveling around the world.
Carlo Acutis's life has been made into a comic book and a video game. Because he played video games, Carlo has been called the "first saintly gamer".
Becoming Blessed
People started asking for Carlo to be declared "Blessed" soon after he died. On October 12, 2012, the sixth anniversary of his death, the Archdiocese of Milan began the official process for his sainthood.
The process gained speed on May 13, 2013, when the Congregation for the Causes of Saints said there was nothing stopping the cause from moving forward. He was then called a "Servant of God," which is the first step toward sainthood.
The official investigation into his life began on February 15, 2013, and finished on November 24, 2016. Pope Francis then confirmed that Carlo lived a life of heroic virtue on July 5, 2018, and declared him "Venerable."
On November 14, 2019, a medical group in the Vatican gave a positive opinion about a miracle in Brazil. This miracle was believed to have happened because Carlo Acutis prayed for it. A woman named Luciana Vianna had a son, Mattheus, who had a serious problem with his pancreas that made eating difficult. Luciana had prayed for Carlo's help. During a prayer service, her son said he felt healed and asked for solid food when he got home. Before this, he could only have liquids. After a detailed investigation, Pope Francis confirmed that this miracle was real on February 21, 2020. This led to Carlo's beatification.
The ceremony to declare him "Blessed" was planned for October 10, 2020. It took place in the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy. Cardinal Agostino Vallini led the ceremony on behalf of the Pope. Since the ceremony, many people have visited Carlo's resting place in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Becoming a Saint
On May 23, 2024, Pope Francis recognized another miracle that happened because Carlo Acutis prayed for it. This approval means that Carlo is now on the final path to becoming a saint. He will be the first Millennial saint.
The miracle happened in 2022. A woman from Costa Rica named Valeria fell off her bike and had a serious brain bleed. Doctors said she had a very low chance of survival. Valeria's mother, Lilliana, prayed for Carlo Acutis's help and visited his tomb. The same day, Valeria started breathing on her own again. The next day, she was able to walk, and all signs of the brain bleed had disappeared.
- The Eucharist: My Highway to Heaven by Nicola Gori, a reporter at L'Osservatore Romano, who is also helping with Carlo's cause for sainthood.
See also
In Spanish: Carlo Acutis para niños
- List of beatified people
