Vatican suspends Acutis ceremony after pope’s death but Jubilee continues

April 21, 2025 - 7:37 PM
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Millennial saint: Carlo Acutis
Carlo Acutis was born in 1991. Once beatified, Acutis will become the first millennial nearing sainthood in the Catholic Church. (Carloacutis.com photo)

 The canonization of the first saint of the millennial generation, Carlo Acutis, has been suspended due to Pope Francis’ death, the Vatican said in a statement on Monday.

READ: Pope Francis has died, Vatican says in video statement | Pope Francis shook up Church with simplicity, raising conservative ire

Acutis, an Italian boy who died from leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, was originally set to be made a saint at a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square on April 27.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni added that the ongoing Jubilee, or Catholic Holy Year, will continue as planned despite the passing of the pope.

Francis, who was 88, died on Monday morning.

—Reporting by Joshua McElwee, writing by Alvise Armellini, editing by Gavin Jones