Carlo’s Canonisation Miracles Explained

What Is A Canonisation Miracle?

When the Catholic Church canonises someone as a saint, she is not promoting a spiritual “celebrity”. She is saying, with authority, that this person is in Heaven and can be safely proposed as a model and intercessor for the whole Church.

For those who were not martyrs, the Church normally looks for two miracles that occur after their death and are attributed to their intercession: one for beatification (declaring them “Blessed”) and a second for canonisation (declaring them a saint).

Carlo Acutis has two such miracles officially recognised by the Church: the healing of a Brazilian boy with a serious pancreatic condition, and the healing of a Costa Rican student with a critical brain injury. Both went through a rigorous medical and theological investigation before being accepted.

Campo Grande, Brazil, Healing of a child with annular pancreas

The first miracle recognised for Carlo's beatification involved a young boy named Mattheus from Campo Grande, Brazil. He was born with a rare and serious condition called annular pancreas, in which the pancreas forms a ring around part of the small intestine. This caused constant vomiting, difficulty eating and significant pain; despite treatment, his quality of life was very poor.

In 2013, on the anniversary of Carlo’s death, Mattheus’ mother brought him to a local church where a relic of Carlo’s clothing was being venerated. She had prayed a novena asking for Carlo’s intercession. During the service, Mattheus approached the relic and kissed Carlo’s T-shirt, simply asking not to “throw up so much anymore”.

Immediately afterwards, he told his mother that he felt healed and, once at home, asked for solid food, something he had not been able to tolerate. From that moment, the vomiting stopped. Later medical examinations showed a completely normal-appearing pancreas, with no sign of the previous defect.

After a local investigation in Brazil gathered hospital records, scans, and witness testimonies, the case was sent to the Vatican. A board of independent doctors concluded that the healing was instantaneous, complete and scientifically inexplicable given the condition and prognosis. Theologians then examined whether the healing could reasonably be linked to Carlo’s intercession, given the specific prayers and devotion involved.

On this basis, the miracle was formally approved and opened the way for Carlo’s beatification in Assisi on 10 October 2020.

Florence & Assisi, Recovery from severe brain haemorrhage

The miracle recognised for Carlo’s canonisation concerns a young woman from Costa Rica named Valeria Valverde. In July 2022, while studying in Florence, she suffered a serious bicycle accident and sustained a traumatic brain injury with haemorrhage. Surgeons operated, but her condition remained critical with a poor prognosis: her life was in danger and, even if she survived, significant disability was feared.

Her mother, Lilliana, flew from Costa Rica to Italy and, just days after the accident, made a pilgrimage to Carlo’s tomb in Assisi. There she prayed intensely, leaving a written petition and entrusting her daughter completely to Carlo’s intercession.

That same day, back in Florence, doctors noticed an unexpected and rapid improvement. Valeria began breathing on her own and, in a remarkably short time, was able to stand and walk again. Subsequent tests showed that the brain haemorrhage had resolved in a way that the medical team could not explain by the normal course of the illness.

As with the Brazilian case, a diocesan inquiry collected detailed medical records, brain scans, and sworn testimonies from the doctors involved, as well as statements from Valeria and her mother. The findings were sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome. There, a panel of medical experts again judged that the cure was sudden, complete and without scientific explanation, especially given the nature and severity of the injury.

Theological consultors then evaluated whether the timing and circumstances showed a clear link to prayers through Carlo Acutis. After their positive vote, the cardinals and bishops of the dicastery recommended approval to the Pope.

On 23 May 2024, Pope Francis officially recognised this cure as the second miracle needed for Carlo’s canonisation, clearing the way for him to be declared the Church’s first millennial saint.

The Church treats alleged miracles with great caution. The process is slow, deliberately sceptical, and involves both scientific experts and theologians. While details vary by case, a typical investigation follows these steps:

1. Local report: A possible miracle is reported to the diocese where it occurred. The bishop initially checks if it is worth investigating.
2. Diocesan inquiry: A formal process gathers medical records, scans, expert statements and sworn testimonies from doctors, witnesses, the person healed and their family.
3. Transfer to Rome: The full dossier is sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican.
4. Medical commission: Independent doctors, including non-Catholics, review the case in detail. They ask whether the healing can be explained by known medicine, spontaneous remission, or natural causes.
5. Theological commission: If the medical team judges the cure scientifically inexplicable, theologians then assess whether there is a clear link to the candidate’s intercession (for example, a novena prayed specifically to them).
6. Cardinals and bishops: Members of the dicastery discuss the case and vote.
7. Papal decision: Finally, the Pope reviews the recommendations and, if he agrees, authorises a decree recognising the miracle.

It is important to note that the Church does not claim to “prove” a miracle in an absolute sense. Rather, she judges that a cure is medically inexplicable and that it is reasonable, in faith, to attribute it to God’s action through the intercession of a particular person.

Miracles are not magic tricks or rewards for the “very holy”. They are signs, small flashes of God’s power and tenderness that confirm the Gospel and encourage faith. The two healings linked to Carlo highlight several key points:

• God is close to suffering families: Both healings involve anxious parents standing beside children with very serious diagnoses, discovering that they are not alone.
• Prayer really matters: In each case, the families turned consciously to Carlo, asking his help with trust and perseverance.
• Science is respected, not rejected: The Church uses medical expertise at every stage; miracles are recognised only when doctors agree that there is no natural explanation.
• Holiness is contemporary: These are 21st- century hospital cases involving scans, surgery and intensive care, not distant legends. They show that God still acts in our world today.
• Carlo’s mission continues: As in his earthly life, Carlo’s miracles draw people back to the Eucharist, prayer and trust in God.

Whether or not we ever witness a dramatic healing ourselves, Carlo’s canonisation miracles invite us to renew our confidence in God’s love, especially in times of illness, uncertainty and fear.