Pope Leo XIV has canonized a teenage boy who died in 2006, a first for the Church as it seeks to remain relevant among younger worshippers.
Carlo Acutis, a British-born Italian, documented miracles on his website before he died aged 15, gaining the nickname “God’s influencer.” Since his death, two miracles have been attributed to him, and Pope Leo XIV canonized him Sunday.
The Catholic Church has long tried to balance a sense of eternal constancy with efforts to remain current, best seen in its stance on LGBTQ issues: While the Church still teaches homosexuality is wrong, its tone has shifted from harsh judgment. Leo welcomed — though did not personally greet — a group of LGBTQ pilgrims to Rome on Saturday.