Pope Francis approves move to recognise London-born boy known as 'God's ... trends now
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A London-born boy who was born in 1991 and died at the age of 15 from leukaemia is set to be the Catholic Church's first ever millennial saint.
Carlo Acutis, who died of leukaemia in 2006 aged 15 and was informally known as 'God's influencer', was on Thursday approved to become a saint by Pope Francis, the Vatican said.
Born in London to an Italian mother and a half-English, half-Italian father who was working in the UK as a merchant banker, he grew up in Milan where he took care of his parish website and later of a Vatican-based academy.
There, his mother Antonia Salzano told the Times, Acutis would offer support to his classmates who were going through troubles, would defend disabled peers who were being bullied and would take meals out to homeless people across the city.
When he died shortly after being diagnosed with leukaemia, he told his parents: 'I'm happy to die because I've lived my life without wasting even a minute of it doing things that wouldn't have pleased God.'
Catholics are encouraged to pray to deceased people who they believe are in heaven.
Carlo Acutis, who died of leukaemia in 2006 aged 15 and was informally known as 'God's influencer'
Born in London to an Italian mother and a half-English, half-Italian father who was working in the UK as a merchant banker, he grew up in Milan where he took care of his parish website and later of a Vatican-based academy
