Carlo Acutis

Carlo Acutis was born in London in 1991 to Italian parents, who moved to Milan shortly after his birth. He had a deep faith from an early age with a special love for Our Lady, frequently praying the rosary. He also had a great devotion to the Eucharist and a routine of weekly confession. After celebrating his First Holy Communion, at the age of seven, he rarely missed an opportunity to receive the Eucharist at daily Mass.

He was highly gifted with computers and put his talents to good use by creating a website which catalogued Eucharistic Miracles. Having developed leukemia, he offered his suffering for Pope Benedict XVI and the Church, saying to his doctor when asked if he was in pain "there are people who suffer much more than me".  His Eucharistic Miracles project was completed just months before his death in 2006.

In 2013 a miracle took place involving a young boy from Brazil who suffered from a rare pancreatic disease.  The miracle was attributed to the intercession of Carlo Acutis. The Holy Father confirmed this miracle in a decree on 21 February 2020, enabling the beatification of Carlo, which will take place this Saturday 10th October 2020 at 4 pm (3pm BST) in the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi.