Teenage website builder among first saints for Pope Leo

Have you ever visited a website which was completely compiled and programmed by a saint?

Now you can!

The first two people to be declared saints by Pope Leo XIV both died as teenagers though they lived a century apart.

On Sunday September 7th, Pope Leo XIV will canonise Italians Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati. Both men lived most of their lives in Italy and shared a deep faith in the Eucharist and in giving witness to it by their lives.

Carlo Acutis was born on 3 May 1991 and died from leukemia on 12 October 2006. He was a British-born Italian student celebrated for his devotion to the Eucharist and his use of digital media to promote Catholic devotion. Born in London and raised in Milan, he created a website documenting Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions. 

Beatified by the Catholic Church in 2020, he is regarded as a model for young believers and the first saint to have used an email address. He is often referred to as the "first millennial saint".

Carlo Acutis is connected to two miracles that have paved the way for his canonization. The first miracle involved the healing of a Brazilian boy suffering from a rare pancreatic condition after his family prayed to Acutis. The second, recognized in May 2024, was the recovery of a Costa Rican girl who sustained a severe head injury in a bicycle accident in Florence, Italy.

Pier Giorgio Frassati (6 April 1901 – 4 July 1925) was an Italian Catholic activist and a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. He was dedicated to social justice issues and joined several charitable organizations, including Catholic Action and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul,  to better aid the poor and less fortunate living in his hometown of Turin; he put his own faith into practice to cater to their needs and was best known for his devotion and amiable character.

Looking forward to the canonisations, Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross, said, "The lives of Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati send a powerful message to young people in our parishes, schools, colleges and those entering the workplace – that true happiness is not only possible today, but is also deeply attractive. Blesseds Carlo and Pier show us that, in giving our lives to God, and to others, we will find that inner joy and happiness which we all seek.

"Carlo, who called the Eucharist his 'highway to heaven', used his gifts in the digital world to share his love for Jesus.  Pier Giorgio, known as 'the man of the Beatitudes,' lived his faith with joy, friendship, and a tireless commitment to the poor.

"I pray that these two new saints will inspire our young people to draw closer to Christ in the Eucharist and to live lives of service, courage, and hope," Bishop Fintan said.

Visit the website created by Saint Carlo Acutis

Watch the Canonisation of the two men live on Sunday, 7 September, from 10.15am to 11.45am. RTÉ One television will broadcast the Mass to be celebrated by Pope Leo XIV for the canonisations of Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati from Saint Peter’s Square, Rome. 

You can also watch the Mass live