Jeans and social media, Carlo Acutis the first saint of the millennials

Blessed is

, the Milanese student who died at the age of 15 on 12 October 2006 at the San Gerardo hospital in Monza from fulminant leukemia, recognized by the Church, despite his short life, as a model of Christian faith.

Pope Francis, in the apostolic exhortation "Christus vivit", proposed him to young people as a

.

The proclamation of Carlo Acutis blessed, decreed by Pope Francis, was pronounced by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, papal delegate for the Basilicas of San Francesco and Santa Maria degli Angeli, during the mass celebrated in the upper Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi.

The liturgical memorial of Blessed Carlo Acutis will be celebrated every year on 12 October, the day of his death.

WHO IS CARLO ACUTIS -

His smiling face has been on social media for days.

Carlo Acutis, born in 1991, who died at the age of 15, is the first 'saint' of the millennials, those who grew up on bread and the internet and for this reason many already consider him the patron of the web.

His name is after his grandfather, owner of Vittoria Assicurazioni, and was born in London for the temporary transfer of his father Andrea, who was a manager in an investment bank in those years.

Then the return to Lombardy, to Milan, where Carlo attended school.

A short life because at the age of 15 he is taken away by fulminant leukemia.

He dies in Monza but at his request he is buried in Assisi.

And it is in the city of San Francesco that he will be beatified on Saturday.

Computer genius, he used his knowledge to talk about faith on the web, a real 'influencer of God', today we could define him.

He plays football, hikes in the mountains, plays the saxophone and goes to a pizzeria with friends.

But whoever approaches him remains infected by that love for Christ and the Eucharist and for this reason, even as a child, he goes to Mass every day.

Meanwhile, he 'fiddles' with the computer and creates sites that talk about Eucharistic miracles and basically about the joy of faith.

"The Eucharist is my highway to heaven", he loved to repeat.

The mother, Antonia Salzano, said that her son played at being a computer scientist, made videos and montages with his camera and packaged online magazines.

Gradually he began to study specialized manuals, those used in computer engineering faculties.

And in this way, from self-taught, he became an increasingly experienced programmer.

Pope Francis, who in his own words is denied for cell phones and PCs, and that even to write an e-mail you must get help from someone, was enchanted by this young man who "knew how to use new communication techniques to transmit the Gospel, values ​​and beauty ".

Bergoglio mentions the boy in the 'Letter to young people' signed last year at the conclusion of the Synod's work and also reports a sentence of his: "All are born as originals, but many die as photocopies".

 In Assisi, therefore, a great event is being prepared for that boy who, with his sweatshirts and jeans, has moved the network and has seen the growth of blogs and sites dedicated to his testimony.

His tomb was opened at the Shrine of the Spoliation to allow the faithful to venerate, upon reservation and subject to quota due to Covid regulations.

And when the image emerged of a young man who seemed to be only sleeping, in his tracksuit, on Facebook many shouted for a miracle.

But that body - the bishop of Assisi, Monsignor Domenico Sorrentino had to specify - was not uncorrupted but treated precisely to allow its exposure.

But there was no time for disappointment: "he is still holy", commented Internet users.

In Assisi Carlo Acutis will have the honor of being raised to the altars in the basilica of San Francesco, the patron saint of Italy.

A large influx is expected and, to comply with health regulations, large screens are also ready outside.

The celebration will be broadcast on CEI TV and, of course, for the future patron of the web, also in streaming.