Blessed Carlo Acutis canonisation date announced

Pope Francis announced today, that he will canonize Blessed Carlo Acutis and another young person much loved for his vibrant faith and witness to holiness, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, next year. The announcement came at the conclusion of the weekly general audience with pilgrims in St Peter's Square.

Matteo Bruni from the Vatican press office later confirmed that Acutis' canonization will occur during the Church's Jubilee of Teenagers taking place April 25-27, 2025, and Frassati's canonization will take place during the Jubilee of Youth from July 28-August. 3, 2025.

Both soon-to-be saints were known for their joyful and enthusiastic pursuit of holiness. The two canonizations are expected to bring many young people to Rome in 2025 for the Catholic Church's Jubilee of Hope.

Carlo Acutis

Born in London on 3rd May 1991 to Italian parents, Carlo was baptised at Our Lady of Dolours on Fulham Road, on 18 May that year by Fr Nicholas Martin OSM, Parish Priest at the time. The family moved to Italy shortly afterwards where Carlo was raised in the same active faith as his parents. Having made his First Holy Communion at the age of seven, he made the decision to attend Mass and pray the Rosary daily. He said: "By standing before the Eucharistic Christ, we become holy." He also had a routine of weekly confession. By the age of 11, he became a catechist.

"He was a remarkable young man, who had a great understanding of the sacraments and scripture," explains Fr Patrick Ryall OSM, current Parish Priest of Our Lady of Dolours.

Carlo learned about the known sites of Eucharistic miracles around the world and expressed a keen desire to go on pilgrimage to see these sites. Unfortunately, he developed leukaemia, which made this impossible. He offered his suffering for the Pope and the Universal Church. To help others learn to grow in devotion to the Eucharist, he used his digital media skills to develop a website to catalogue each of these miracles. One of the Eucharistic Miracles that Carlo highlights is that connected with St Juliana, Foundress of the Servite Sisters on her death bed.

Carlo died in 2006 at the age of 15. His cause was opened in 2013 and he was declared a Servant of God. On 5th July 2018, Pope Francis declared him to be venerable. He was beatified in Assisi by Pope Francis in October 2020.

Pier Giorgio Frassati

Born in Turin in 1901, Pier Giorgio Frassati was an avid mountaineer and member of the Third Order of St Dominic. At the age of 17, he joined the St Vincent de Paul Society and dedicated much of his spare time to taking care of the poor, the homeless, and the sick as well as demobilized servicemen returning from World War I.

Frassati was also involved in the Apostleship of Prayer and Catholic Action. He obtained permission to receive daily Communion.

On a photograph of what would be his last climb, Frassati wrote the phrase 'Verso L'Alto,' which means 'to the heights.' This phrase has become a motto for Catholics inspired by Pier Giorgio to strive for the summit of eternal life with Christ.

Frassati died of polio on July 4, 1925. Doctors believed that he had caught polio while serving the sick.

St Pope John Paul II, who beatified Pier Giorgio in 1990, called him a "man of the eight beatitudes," describing him as "entirely immersed in the mystery of God and totally dedicated to the constant service of his neighbour."