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Last year, on Sunday, September 7, 2025, the extraordinary joint canonization of two young Italian laymen, Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, took place in Saint Peter’s Square. Initially, Carlo Acutis was to be canonized in April, but the death of Pope Francis led to a postponement of the ceremony. Following the election of Pope Leo XIV, the canonization was rescheduled as part of a joint installation with Pier Giorgio Frassati. The canonizations were the first of Pope Leo's pontificate. During the emotional canonization Mass, one of the highlights was the presence of family members of the saints at the ceremony. Carlo Acutis’ mother, father and siblings participated in the Mass, and the elderly nieces and nephews of Pier Giorgio Frassati were also present.  Canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati Vatican City, 2025 Pier Giorgio Frassati was born in Turin on April 6, 1901, the son of a wealthy and highly influential family. Despite growing up in a household with significant material assets, Pier Giorgio would develop a connection with those of lesser means. An active, vibrant young man who loved life, he was an avid sportsman, a passionate mountain climber, and a member of the Dominican Third Order (now known as Lay Dominicans). He coined the phrase "Verso l'alto" ("To the heights"), which encapsulated his pursuit of both physical and spiritual peaks. He also displayed what could be called “radical charity”. He spent both money and time visiting the poorest neighborhoods of Turin, delivering food, medicine, and clothes to the destitute, the sick, and the homeless. In 1925, Frassati contracted virulent poliomyelitis (likely from contact with those he served) and died at the age of 24 on July 4, 1925. At his funeral, an extraordinary mix of the elite of Italy and thousands of poor from the streets of Milan paid their respects. He was beatified in 1990 by Pope John Paul II, who dubbed him the "Man of the Beatitudes." His feast day is celebrated on July 4.  Canonization of Carlo Acutis Vatican City, 2025 Carlo Acutis was born to native Italian parents in London on May 3, 1991. The family relocated to Milan shortly after his birth. Like Frassati, Carlo grew up in a comfortable environment. He displayed an innate love for God from an early age, made his First Holy Communion at age seven, and thereafter never missed daily Mass. Like most millennial teenagers, he loved video games and his computer. But, unlike his peers, he would turn his aptitude for computer science and coding to the work of God. He recognized the immense reach of the internet and merged his digital talents with his desire to serve the Lord, famously stating "the Holy Eucharist is my highway to heaven". When he was just eleven years old, he began designing an online catalog to document approved Eucharistic miracles. He spent two years researching and building the website, ultimately creating a powerful tool for global evangelization. Like Pier Giorgio, he also displayed a direct and practical side, often using his allowance to help the homeless of Milan. In 2006, he was diagnosed with an acute, untreatable form of leukemia, and died on October 12, 2006. He was just 15 years old. He wished to be buried in Assisi, the home of his spiritual hero, Saint Francis. He now rests in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi. To commemorate the remarkable joint canonizations, Vatican City issued the two stamps presented in the article on the day of the ceremony. Showing the reach of these new saints, the stamps were issued jointly by Italy, San Marino and the Sovereign Military of Malta. It is a fitting tribute to two young saints, separated by nearly a century but who have captured the imagination of the world and serve as icons of youthful holiness. REFERENCES Vatican Philatelic Society website, www.vaticanstamps.org, Stamp Database Search |
