The Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Leo XIV will canonize Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati on September 7.
VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — The Vatican announced today that Blesseds Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati will be canonized together in September.
Following an ordinary consistory with cardinals on the morning of June 13, the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Leo XIV will canonize Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati on September 7.
The cardinals also approved the canonizations of seven more blesseds for October 19: Blessed Ignatius Choukrallah Maloyan, Peter To Rot, Vincenza Maria Poloni, Maria del Monte Carmelo Rendiles Martínez, Maria Troncatti, José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, and Bartolo Longo.
The canonization of Carlo Acutis had been set to take place on April 27 as part of the Jubilee of Teenagers; however, this was postponed, as were all other pre-established events, due to Pope Francis’ death.
Francis’ funeral was then held on April 26, with many pilgrims who had planned to attend the canonization coming instead for the funeral ceremonies.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati had been due to be canonized during the Jubilee for Youth, running from July 28 through August 3.
With the pair now being canonized together they will be the first canonizations of Pope Leo’s pontificate, and will likely be a draw for large numbers of pilgrims to Rome due to the popularity of both blesseds.
Carlo Acutis in particular has captured both the imaginations of many young people and has also enjoyed notable promotion by dioceses across the world in a bid to promote the Catholic faith among the youth.
Born in 1991, Carlo, an English-born Italian, is known for his devotion to the Holy Eucharist which led him to create a website documenting all the approved Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions. During his life, Acutis referred to the Eucharist as “my highway to heaven.”
READ: Blessed Carlo Acutis set to become first millennial saint after approval of second miracle
Described as a “millennial saint,” Acutis died in 2006 from leukemia and was beatified in October 2020 by Pope Francis.
His remains are kept in Assisi, Italy, due to the devotion he had to the ancient hilltop town, which is also home to Sts. Francis and Clare. His body is on display but is not incorrupt, though it is made to appear thus due to a preservation technique.
Pier Giorgio Frassati was a native of Turin, Italy, and was born on April 6, 1901. Son of the founder of Italy’s influential newspaper La Stampa, Frassati was notable for his devotion to Mary and the Eucharist.
An active youth, he spent time caring for the war wounded as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and later became a leading figure as a student, galvanizing other Catholics to follow the social teachings of the Church, and was firmly opposed to the anti-ecclesial moves of the communists in Italy.
A member of the Third Order of St. Dominic, the athletic Frassati was also well known for his love of the outdoors, often combining mountain hikes with opportunities to evangelize his peers.
He died on July 4, 1925, at the age of 24 from poliomyelitis, after first complaining of symptoms on June 30 that same year.
He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in May 1980.
