Canonization of first millennial saint is postponed by pope’s death

VATICAN CITY — The canonization of the first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis, has been postponed due to the death Monday of Pope Francis, the Vatican announced.

Acutis was to be canonized next Sunday in St. Peter’s Square on the occasion of the Jubilee celebration for adolescents.

In the months leading up to the expected canonization, the faithful have been flocking to Assisi, Italy, where his body — wearing sneakers, jeans and a sweatshirt — lies in a shrine. He was 15 when he died in northern Italy in 2006 after a short bout with leukaemia.

His road to sainthood, the canonization process, started more than 10 years ago at the initiative of a group of priests and friends, and formally took off shortly after Pope Francis began his papacy in 2013.

Acutis was named “venerable” in 2018 after the church recognized his virtuous life, and his body was taken to a shrine in Assisi’s Santuario della Spogliazione, a major site linked to St. Francis’ life.

He was then declared “blessed” in 2020 after the Vatican dicastery that studies sainthood processes recognized a miraculous healing through Acutis’ intercession — a child in Brazil who recovered in a “scientifically inexplainable” manner.

Last year, the church paved his way to sainthood by attributing to him a second miracle — the complete healing of a Costa Rican student in Italy from major head trauma in a bicycle accident after her mother prayed at Acutis’ tomb.

Acutis used his computer savvy to create an online exhibit about more than 100 eucharistic miracles recognized by the church over centuries, focused on the real presence of Christ that Catholics believe is in the consecrated bread and wine. He also taught catechism and did outreach to the homeless.

The Mass for adolescents, expected to attract tens of thousands of faithful, will go ahead. It is part of a year-long celebration of the Holy Year inaugurated by Francis in December, which the Vatican said was continuing, albeit with modifications.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here.