From Pokémon Cards to Catholic Saint: The 15-Year-Old Who Changed Everything

September 7, 2025

Today marks a historic day for the universal Catholic Church as Blessed Carlo Acutis will be canonised, becoming the first millennial saint. Born in 1991 and passing away in 2006 at just 15 years old, Carlo’s short life left a profound mark on the Church and the digital world, earning him the title “Cyber Apostle of the Eucharist”.

Who Was Carlo Acutis?

Carlo was born on May 3, 1991, in London to Italian parents but grew up in Milan. From an early age, he showed an exceptional love for the Church, the sacraments, and especially the Eucharist. His mother, Antonia Salzano, recalls:

“Ever since Carlo was a young child, he showed a great interest in everything that is the Church, the saints, and the Gospel. When we passed a church, he wanted to go in and greet the crucified Jesus and the tabernacle. He would stay there for a long time.”

Carlo’s faith was so deep that, after careful assessment, he was allowed to receive First Holy Communion at just seven years old—an extraordinary exception granted by the bishop of his diocese. His passion for the Eucharist became the core of his life and mission.

 A Young Heart on Fire for Jesus

Carlo had a unique perspective on the Eucharist. He once said:

“People who put themselves before the sun get tanned; people who place themselves before the Eucharist become saints.”

He believed that Communion transforms a person:

“Every time you take communion, you're no longer the same person because Jesus works transformations inside you.”

This conviction inspired him to create the famous Eucharistic Miracles Exhibition, a digital project showcasing Eucharistic miracles from around the world. He learnt web design, read university-level theology texts, and spent hours coding to build an online resource to evangelise through technology.

 “If we present how Jesus is present in the Eucharist, they will know Jesus,” he once said. “Otherwise, people are lost. This is my work, my duty.”

 Living Faith in Ordinary Life

Despite his deep spirituality, Carlo was a normal teenager—he loved Pokémon cards, played video games, hiked in the mountains, and even played the saxophone. He had many pets and enjoyed spending time with friends. But unlike many of his peers, he made time every day for Mass and Eucharistic adoration.

Carlo’s ability to combine faith and modern life earned him the title “The Saint in Sneakers”. He is even buried in sneakers, a sign of his simplicity and youthful spirit.

Including Others and Defending the Weak

Carlo was known for his kindness and inclusivity. Mattio Pastorelli, a childhood friend, recalls:

 “We were 10 or 11 and had gone for an ice cream. On the way back, Carlo realised we had been given 20 cents too much. He absolutely wanted to go back and return it. So we climbed uphill in Assisi to give the money back.”

Carlo also stood up for children who were excluded from games and defended those who were bullied. He made everyone feel seen and valued.

 A Life of Charity

Carlo’s generosity extended beyond his friends. He often gave his own pocket money to help the homeless in Milan. His mother shares:

 “He would buy sleeping bags for homeless people instead of toys for himself. He even asked me to cook fresh meals for them because he didn’t want to bring leftovers. He said, ‘They should eat like we do too.’”

Carlo also taught the faith to those around him. One of the most touching stories is from Rajesh, the family’s housekeeper, who came from a Hindu Brahmin background:

“Carlo was my spiritual master. He explained the Eucharist to me every day when I took him to school. I wasn’t Christian. My father was a Hindu priest, but what I learnt from Carlo was more than what I learnt from him. Carlo never forced me. He explained things with sweetness, and it was like being in heaven. I eventually had myself baptised in 1999.”

 Facing Death with Courage

In 2006, Carlo was diagnosed with acute leukaemia (M3), one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Within just three days, his condition worsened. Yet he faced death with peace, saying:

“I die serene because I have not wasted even a minute of my life on things God does not like.”

Before his death, Carlo offered his sufferings for the Pope and the Church, asking God to take him straight to heaven without purgatory. His funeral was filled with people of all faiths—Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists—whose lives he had touched.

 Miracles and Canonisation

Carlo was beatified in Assisi on October 10, 2020, after the miraculous healing of a child in Brazil. The boy, suffering from a rare pancreatic disorder, was cured after his family prayed to Carlo for his intercession.

For canonisation, the Vatican recognised another miracle: the healing of Valeria Valverde, a Costa Rican student who suffered a fatal head injury in a bicycle accident. After prayers at Blessed Carlo’s tomb, she made a complete recovery.

Blessed Carlo Acutis’ influence continues to grow. His tomb in Assisi attracts thousands of pilgrims each year, and stories of healings, conversions, and favours granted through his intercession pour in from around the world.

 Lessons from Blessed Carlo for Today’s Generation

Speaking at the Jubilee of Digital Influencers in Rome, Dominican priest Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe summarised three lessons from the life of Blessed Carlo:

1. Take the Church’s teaching seriously.

  Carlo studied the faith deeply and even taught catechism as a teenager.

2. Include others.

  He created a sense of belonging for everyone, especially those who felt left out.

3. Live fully, love deeply, keep Christ at the centre.

  Carlo loved technology, games, and sports—but his heart belonged to Jesus.

As his mother beautifully said:

 “Carlo used to say we are luckier than those who lived 2,000 years ago because we can encounter Jesus every day in the Eucharist.”

Today, the Church will celebrate the canonisation of a boy who used coding and the internet to bring souls closer to God—a saint for the digital age, a saint in sneakers, and now, the first millennial saint.

By Catholic Connect Reporter