It's time to celebrate!
Tomorrow, September 7th, the Church will officially recognize two remarkable young men as saints: Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Blessed Carlo Acutis.
We truly couldn't be more excited. Their canonization reminds us that holiness is not reserved for people who lived centuries ago; it is a calling for you and me. It also reminds us of the reality of heaven as we celebrate two more of our own reaching the eternal banquet.
But what actually happens at a canonization?
Canonization is the Church’s formal declaration that someone is in heaven and worthy of veneration by Catholics everywhere. The day begins with a solemn Mass in St. Peter’s Square, usually attended by thousands of pilgrims. After hymns and prayers, the Litany of Saints is sung, invoking the names of holy men and women throughout history.
Then comes the central moment. The Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints petitions the Holy Father three times to declare the candidates saints. The Pope then proclaims: “We declare and define Blessed [Name] to be a saint…” With those words, the person is officially recognized as a saint of the universal Church. Relics of the newly canonized are then honored and presented for veneration, a powerful reminder of their nearness to us in heaven.
Although this process is ancient, it is always relevant. Tomorrow we will see that in a real way as two young men, hardly different from any of us, will be declared and defined as saints.
Frassati, a lover of the outdoors who climbed mountains and served the poor, and Carlo, a millennial who used his computer skills to spread Eucharistic devotion, show us that sanctity fits right into ordinary life.
So let us go pursue sanctity. May we go forth with renewed hope that one day, we too may join St. Pier Giorgio and St. Carlo Acutis in heaven.
Do not miss out on an opportunity to celebrate this momentous and historic day for the Church. You can purchase a commemorative rosary for our newest saints today at The Catholic Company.
Order your St. Pier Giorgio Frassati rosary here.
Order your St. Carlo Acutis rosary here.
