Saint Carlo Acutis
"L'Eucaristia è la mia autostrada per il Cielo"
"The Eucharist is my highway to heaven"
Quick Facts
- Born
- May 3, 1991 · London, England
- Died
- October 12, 2006 · Monza, Italy
- Cause of Death
- Leukemia, age 15
- Beatified
- October 10, 2020
- Canonized
- September 7, 2025
- Also Known As
- "God's Influencer," "Patron Saint of the Internet"
"The only thing we have to ask God for in prayer is the desire to be holy."
— Carlo Acutis
Carlo Acutis was a tech-savvy Italian teenager whose deep devotion to the Holy Eucharist and innovative use of technology made him one of the most compelling figures of modern faith. He died at just 15 years old in 2006, but his legacy continues to inspire millions—including the founders of Sacred Steps.
The Highway to Heaven
"L'Eucaristia è la mia autostrada per il Cielo"—"The Eucharist is my highway to heaven"—was Carlo's famous motto. For him, this wasn't merely a poetic expression; it was a lived reality.
Carlo believed that frequent reception and adoration of the Eucharist—the consecrated bread and wine that Catholics believe to be the body and blood of Christ—was the most direct path to holiness. While other teenagers were absorbed in video games and social media, Carlo was attending daily Mass, spending time in Eucharistic adoration, and finding ways to share his faith with others.
In essence, for Carlo Acutis, the Eucharist wasn't just a sacrament; it was his life's journey, guiding him directly to God.
What Made Carlo Different
Eucharistic Devotion
He prioritized daily Mass and Eucharistic adoration, seeing it as the ultimate source of grace and connection to Jesus. From his First Communion at age 7, he never missed a day.
Digital Evangelization
He used his computer skills to create websites documenting Eucharistic miracles around the world, evangelizing others about the Real Presence long before "digital ministry" was a concept.
Desire for Holiness
His life exemplified the desire to be holy—not through extraordinary acts, but through ordinary faithfulness. He often said, "The only thing we have to ask God for in prayer is the desire to be holy."
Eucharistic Revival
His life and simple yet profound faith have made him a significant figure and patron for the ongoing Eucharistic Revival in the Catholic Church, inspiring a new generation.
His Eucharistic Miracles Project
What set Carlo apart was how he channeled his faith through technology. At a young age, he taught himself computer programming, website design, and video editing. But rather than use these skills for personal gain, he dedicated them to spreading the Gospel.
His most famous project was a comprehensive website and traveling exhibition documenting Eucharistic miracles from around the world. He researched each miracle, traveled with his family to photograph the sites, and compiled everything into a resource that has since been displayed in thousands of parishes across multiple continents.
Carlo understood something profound: that the tools of the modern age—computers, the internet, digital media—could be instruments of evangelization. He once said, "All people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies." He refused to be a copy.
Why We Dedicate Sacred Steps to Carlo
When we built Sacred Steps, we didn't just want to create another app. We wanted to create something that would help people encounter the sacred—to slow down, to notice, to remember the holy places that shape our journeys.
Carlo Acutis showed us that technology and faith aren't opposites. That a smartphone can be a tool for holiness. That documenting sacred places isn't just record-keeping—it's a form of prayer, a way of saying "this matters."
Sacred Steps continues his mission. Every church you visit, every check-in you make, every story you share—you're participating in something Carlo would have loved. You're using technology to encounter the sacred, one step at a time.
Continue the Journey
Join thousands of pilgrims using Sacred Steps to document their encounters with the sacred. Carlo would have loved this.