Teenage influencer set to be made a saint by Pope after 'miracle'

Carlo Acutis, who sadly died of leukaemia in 2006 at the age of 15, was recently granted a 'second miracle' by Pope Francis, making him the first influencer to ever be made a saint

A teenager who has been dubbed 'God's influencer' is set to be canonised as the first-ever saint born this millennium by the Pope.

On Thursday, Carlo Acutis, who sadly died of leukaemia in 2006 at the age of 15, was granted a 'second miracle' by Pope Francis, after his lifelong efforts to draw attention to God were recognised.

Born in London, the young Catholic spent most of his life in Italy, where he launched a website documenting all of the miracles happening worldwide, The Mirror reports.

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The religious community held him in particularly high regard for his inspirational words of encouragement among worshippers to look for Jesus and had reportedly never missed a daily mass in his entire life.

Carlo was beatified in 2020 but Pope Francis, following a meeting with the Vatican's head of saint-making, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, a recent miracle was attributed to him, meaning he can now become a saint.

The Vatican has said that the miracle is related to a Costa Rican woman who prayed at Carlo’s tomb in Italy after her daughter was in a serious accident after falling off her bike in Florance, where she was at university.

She needed high-risk surgery on her skull and the removal of a bone to alleviate brain pressure, and her mother and the doctors worried she would not make it - prompting her mother to pray to Carlo and worshipping at his tomb.

The Vatican News statement then explained: "That same day, the hospital informed [Liliana] that Valeria had begun to breath spontaneously. The next day, she began to move and partially regain her speech."

Less than a month later, her haemorrhage had reportedly vanished as well, and on August 11, she then began a course of rehabilitation therapy. "She made quick progress, and on September 2, Valeria and Liliana made another pilgrimage to Assisi to thank Blessed Carlo for his intercession," it added.

According to the Roman Catholic Church, a miracle is generally an unbelievable wonder which could only be caused by divine power.

While it is believed that only God can perform miracles, saints beside him can step in when they are being prayed to, meaning that the miracle of the girl falling off her bike was attributed to Carlos. However, it is not clear when he will be made a saint.

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