Pope Leo XIV announced the canonization of a young computer prodigy as the Catholic Church’s first saint from the millennial generation, alongside another well-regarded Italian figure who dedicated his short life to his religious beliefs.
Pope Leo officially recognized Carlo Acutis, who passed away from leukemia in 2006, and Pier Giorgio Frassati, an Italian student and enthusiastic nature lover who succumbed to polio in 1925 at a young age. The canonization took place during an outdoor Mass at St. Peter’s Square with approximately 80,000 attendees.
Leo said both saints created “masterpieces” out of their lives by dedicating them to God.
In his homily on Sunday, Pope Leo stated, “The greatest danger in life is to live it outside of God’s plan.” He emphasized that these new saints serve as “a call for all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to elevate them and transform them into masterpieces.”
Frassati, the other saint canonized, was a “beacon for lay spirituality,” Leo said.
Frassati demonstrated his faith by engaging in “humble, often discreet service to the poorest residents of Turin,” as highlighted by the Frassati Catholic Academy. “He lived a simple life, always ready to give away food, money, or whatever was requested of him.”
It is believed that he contracted polio from those he ministered to in the slums of Turin, Italy, before his death.
