Late Italian Teenager 1 Step Closer to Becoming the 'Patron Saint of Internet'

A 15-year-old teenager from Italy who died in 2006 is one step closer from being canonized by the Catholic Church and Pope Francis, to be named the “patron saint of the internet.”

London-born but Italian bred Carlo Acutis died of leukemia in Milan, but during his brief time on Earth he had an impact on those around him.

The teenager used his family’s small, old computer to teach himself how to program and by doing so, built a website cataloging miracles around the world. He was credited with healing a Brazilian boy by asking him to communicate with God. The boy later recovered from a rare illness.

“When he contracted leukemia at age 15, his faith helped him to see his suffering differently,” Brenden Thompson, CEO of Catholic Voices said in a statement.

Acutis will be beatified in Assisi, Italy, the home of St. Francis, in October, which is the final step before sainthood. The process recognized by the church is believed that the person has entered Heaven and has the ability to negotiate on behalf of those on Earth who pray in their name.

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