Filipino devotees witness canonization of St. Carlo Acutis at Vatican

Filipino devotees proudly displayed the Philippine flag in Vatican City while witnessing the canonization of the first Catholic saint of the millennial generation, St. Carlo Acutis, along with St. Pier Giorgio Frassati.

The Mass, presided over by Pope Leo XIV, was attended by an estimated 80,000 devotees, with a special emphasis on the participation of young people.

St. Carlo Acutis, a British-born Italian boy who died at age 15, was known for using his computer coding skills to build websites to spread his faith.

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati was an Italian man recognized for his charitable work and who died of polio in the 1920s.

Among the attendees was Dan Rosuelo Roldan, a young Filipino based in Italy, who described the determination of his companions to arrive early and endure the elements to witness the canonization.

A Filipino group, Tropa ni Carlo Acutis, established in 2015, was also present, with its founder Bro. Gervin Kent Rodriguez expressing gratitude for witnessing the event after a decade of waiting.

Devotion to St. Carlo Acutis saw an increase in the Philippines around 2020, and Bro. Rodriguez anticipates an intensified promotion of the saint in the country following this significant event.