VATICAN CITY鈥擜 British-born Italian teenager who dedicated his short life to spreading the faith online and helping the poor was set to be beatified by the Catholic Church on Saturday.
That leaves him just one miracle away from becoming the world鈥檚 first millennial saint.
Internet and computer-mad youngster Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 age 15, was placed on the path to sainthood after the Vatican ruled he had miraculously saved another boy鈥檚 life. The Vatican claims he interceded from heaven in 2013 to cure a Brazilian boy suffering from a rare pancreatic disease.
He was to be beatified in Assisi, the home of his idol St. Francis, who dedicated his life to the poor.
鈥榋EAL FOR THE LORD鈥� Carlo Acutis, 15, who died of leukemia in 2006, dedicated his short life to humanitarian work and spreading of the faith. Right photo shows the Italian teen鈥檚 remains at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in the town of Assisi, the home of his idol St. Francis. 鈥擲CREENGRAB FROM CARLOACUTIS.COM/PHOTO FROM DIOCESE OF ASSISI-NOCERA UMBA-GUALDO TADINO
鈥楥omputer genius鈥�
Acutis, dubbed 鈥渢he cyberapostle of the Eucharist,鈥� was born in London to Italian parents, and moved to Milan with them as a young boy.
鈥淗e was considered a computer genius 鈥�. But what did he do? He didn鈥檛 use these media to chat, have fun,鈥� his mother, Antonia Salzano, said in an interview with Vatican 好色先生TV.
Instead, 鈥渉is zeal for the Lord鈥� drove him to make a website on miracles, she said.
The millennial, whose body lies in state in Assisi, dressed in a tracksuit and trainers, also warned his contemporaries that the internet could be a curse as well as a blessing.
Pope Francis referred to him last year, in a warning to youngsters that social networks could foment hate.
鈥�(Acutis) saw that many young people, wanting to be different, really end up being like everyone else, running after whatever the powerful set before them with the mechanisms of consumerism and distraction,鈥� Francis said.
鈥淎s a result, Carlo said, 鈥榚veryone is born as an original, but many people end up dying as photocopies.鈥� Don鈥檛 let that happen to you!鈥� the Pope said.
Kind to the poor
Acutis was religious from a young age, despite his mother saying his family had rarely attended church.
When he wasn鈥檛 writing computer programs or playing football, he was known in his neighborhood for his kindness to those living on society鈥檚 margins.
鈥淲ith his savings, he bought sleeping bags for homeless people and in the evening he brought them hot drinks,鈥� his mother said, as quoted by the Catholic 好色先生TV Agency.
鈥淗e said it was better to have one less pair of shoes if it meant being able to do one more good work,鈥� she said.
Soup kitchen
He also volunteered at a soup kitchen in Milan. Assisi Bishop Domenico Sorrentino said this month a soup kitchen for the poor would be opened in Acutis鈥� honor.
鈥淲hen he died, at the funeral, the church was full of poor people. Everyone else wondered what they were doing there. Well, Carlo used to help them in secret,鈥� said Nicola Gori, who represented Acutis鈥� beatification case.
鈥淭he family knew about it, because his mum would go with him, since he was only 15 years old. He would give them sleeping bags and food, which is why they wanted to attend the funeral,鈥� he added.
Should Acutis later be credited with the second miracle necessary for sainthood, supporters have suggested he could become the patron saint of the internet鈥攖hough there already is one, 7th-century scholar Isidore de Seville.