Becoming a Saint

Saints Carlo Acutis, Margaret, and Stephen are three of the approximately 10,000 saints recognized by the Roman Catholic church. Each saint has their own story reflecting culture, society, and the church. Carlo is the millennial saint, Margaret a medieval penitent, and Stephen an early Christian martyr.

Becoming a saint changed from an oral proclamation for early Christians to a detailed, lengthy process. There are two categories of saints – red and white. Red refers to martyrs who were put to death for their beliefs, often in early Christianity. White refers to those who because of their beliefs were imprisoned, suffered torture or exiled but also includes influential teachers, leaders, and theologians.

Gaspare Traversi, Saint Margaret of Cortona, c. 1758, detail, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, open access.

Saints are often depicted holding a palm leaf, the symbol of martyrdom, and their attributes which attest to how they achieved sainthood. A bishop might be portrayed in liturgical vestments. St. Lawrence, martyred during Roman Emperor Valerian’s reign, would be depicted with his method of death, burned alive on a brazier. He supposedly told his executioners that he was well-done on one side; they could flip him over to roast the other side.   

Stephen

St. Stephen is considered the first Christian martyr and his feast day is celebrated December 26. Stephen Martyr is recognized by the Church of England, Episcopal Church (USA), Evangelical Lutheran Church (USA), Roman Catholic Church, Russian and Greek Orthodox churches.

An early deacon in the newly formed religion, he preached and aided in acts of charity to widows. Born in Greece, he lived in Jerusalem, as a Jew. A contemporary of the apostles, Stephen died about 35 CE during Emperor Tiberius’ reign. Stephen’s life reflects the struggles of early Christianity communities as they established themselves during the Roman Empire, situated amidst pagan and Jewish beliefs. As a Greek Jewish convert to Christianity, Stephen was caught in the same theological conflict as Peter and Paul about whether converts needed to abide by Jewish law.

Stephen believed Christianity needed to develop outside of Mosaic law and the temple. This greatly displeased the elders of the synagogues. When defending himself against charges of blasphemy he persuasively argued the elders were resisting the Holy Spirit and denying their complicity in Jesus’ death. Elders of the synagogue were enraged by Stephen’s defense. They dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death. Saul, who later converted to Christianity and became Paul, was present at the stoning and approved of the death sentence. Stephen’s story soon spread and a cult developed to honor him.

Nearly four hundred years after his death a tomb was discovered and thought to be his. Stephen’s (or someone else's) bones were disseminated throughout the east and west for veneration. The cult of relics, especially of early saints and passion relics, became lucrative after the fall of the Roman Empire. The church encouraged the veneration and dispersal of relics. Bodies thought to be of early saints were exhumed and brought to a church altar under the direction of the local bishop. This equivalated to canonization. Bones, hair, or remnants of cloth were declared to be true relics.

Master of the Brussels Initials, Manuscript Illumination of St. Stephen Martyr in an Initial S from an Antiphonary, 1410-20, Bologna, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, open access.

Stephen is usually depicted in two ways, with attributes of a palm leaf and rocks, or crouching as an angry mob, poised with rocks and boulders, are ready to pummel him. This fifteenth century depiction from an illustrated manuscript has three rocks curiously perched on his head, with drops of blood. He wears a brightly colored orange and gold dalmatic, a liturgical garment. The figure of Stephen inhabits a large letter “S” in a manuscript monks would use to chant or sing. He holds a palm leaf in his right hand and the gospel in his left. This anonymous artist from Bologna carefully painted this small (4 x 5 inches) illustration on parchment with tempera, ink, and gold leaf.

Margaret

Medieval holy people attained sainthood through penitence and miracles. Born about 1247, Margaret of Cortona ran away from a troubled family, and was seduced by a nobleman. She lived with him for about nine years and gave birth to a son out of wedlock. One day, her lover’s dog returned home, but he did not. Later she discovered he had been murdered. She tried to return to her father, but he disowned her. Homeless, she found shelter with two women with the assistance of Franciscan friars.

Margaret chose a life of chastity and lived in poverty, engaging in rituals of self-abuse with flagellation, fasting, and sleep deprivation to atone for her sins. Allegedly she experienced mystical and supernatural visions, and messages from Jesus. Self-harm was common in the Middle Ages in some religious groups, like the Dominican and Franciscan orders. St. Catherine of Siena also engaged in rituals of self-harm and experienced mystical connections with Christ as a fourteenth century Dominican nun. This level of austerity fell out of favor in the early modern era.

Margaret joined the Franciscan order and devoted herself to caring for the poor and sick. She was not canonized by the pope until 1728. Gaspare Traversi’s image of St. Margaret idealizes her life experiences. The faithful dog lies at her feet while her son gazes down at the dog. She holds a crucifix as she turns towards an angel, who holds a crown of thorns. Margaret is dressed in a simple dark Franciscan garment while the angel is adorned with precious pearls and jewels. A glimpse of a skull appears between the angel and Margaret, a memento mori, a reminder of death. In the corner the devil sulks off, as evil has been conquered by good.

Gaspare Traversi, Saint Margaret of Cortona, c. 1758, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, open access; Tomb of St. Margaret of Cortona, Santa Margarita, Cortona, photo Gerriann Brower.

When she died in 1297, her body was moved to a church in Cortona and was immediately venerated. Many miracles were said to be the result of praying to her for intercession. Numerous documented healings from illness, raising the dead, and curing those who could not walk occurred. Her body remains in her namesake church, without deterioration – incorrupt seven hundred years later. Some say the body projects a sweet perfume. (I have visited the tomb and did not notice any fragrance.)

White martyrs began to be venerated during the 400s. It was only in the 900s that the church formalized the canonization procedure. It wasn’t until the seventeenth century under Pope Urban VIII that a detailed process evolved to distinguish between beatification and canonization. One reason was to control the developments of cults not sanctioned by the pope. Another reason was to centralize the decisions in Rome.

The number of miracles required has changed over time. Martyrs who have died for their faith do not need to have performed a miracle before or after their death to qualify for sainthood. Nowadays one miracle is required for beatification and one additional miracle for sainthood. Until 1983 a waiting period of fifty years after the death of a holy person was necessary before beginning the process to become beatified, a step on the way to sainthood. Only five years is now required before beginning the process. However, not everyone who is beatified becomes a saint.

Carlo

This shortened wait period aided in the beautification and sainthood of Carlo Acutis, who died in 2015 and was canonized by Pope Leo XIV in 2025. Born in London in 1991 and raised in Milan, he is the first millennial saint. Devoted to Jesus as a child, he attended mass daily as a boy. Like most boys his age, he liked computer games. Using his computer programming skills, he developed a website devoted to documenting miracles and spreading the gospel. He was particularly drawn to eucharistic miracles when the consecrated host or chalice of wine would materialize into blood or human tissue. His association with spreading the faith to youth through the internet brought him international recognition.

Carlo succumbed to leukemia after being ill for only a few weeks at the age of fifteen in 2006. According to his wishes, he is buried in Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi, where he made pilgrimages. In 2013 a boy in Brazil was cured of a pancreatic illness following the parent’s prayers to Carlo. This miracle served as evidence for his beatification. According to Vatican protocols the miracle was substantiated by doctors and interviews with the parents and boy. The second miracle occurred in 2022 when a women recovered from a head trauma after her mother prayed to Acutis. Although the pope makes the final decree of sainthood, it is the bishop in the parish of the deceased holy person who gathers documentation, conducts interviews, archival research, reviews written records and biography, and forwards the results to the Vatican.

Carlo Acutis Illustrations from Sito Ufficiale Associazione Carlo Acutis (Official Website of Carlo Acutis), under “Le frasi di Carlo Acutis” (Carlo Acutis’ sayings).

Exhumation of the body is part of the canonization process and in 2019 Carlo’s body was disinterred. Relics were collected such as strands of his hair and his heart. Body parts are considered first class relics. Anything that had come in contact with the saint would be considered a holy relic, and in this case, even his computer. Venerating a relic could bring the faithful closer to Christ through the reverence and intercession of the saint. Carlo’s relics have been on tour in the U.S. and other countries. Second class relics of his sweater or bedding have also been on display in Catholic churches along with first class relics of his hair and the lining of his heart. Sale of relics are prohibited; however, online advertisements of fake relics continue. A relic of Carlo’s sweater was recently stolen from a church in Venezuela, attesting to the continued importance of relics in the Catholic church.

Known as “God’s Influencer,” Carlo is portrayed digitally on his website imagery as a teenager, in casual clothing, often holding a laptop computer. In these two examples from his website he is depicted smiling, youthful, and content. He sits outside with his trademark laptop in a photo-shopped or enhanced landscape. A divine light emanates from his head. In the other a photo Carlo is placed next to Jesus, who embraces him. Carlo places his hand over Jesus’ heart. The consecrated host levitates and bleeds next to the chalice, which also appears to contain blood. The setting and background evoke a fictive last supper or altar table, with classical architecture and a view into a landscape.

St. Carlo Acutis Tomb, Santa Maria Maggiore, Assisi, Wikimedia Commons, photo Dobros.

Carlo is now venerated in Assisi with a livestream of his tomb available online through his website. His face and hands have been reconstructed and he is dressed casually. Sculptural reliefs above his tomb shows Carlo engaging in childhood activities. One relief shows him with his computer surrounded by logos from various online companies, such as Google, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter (now X), and Instagram.

Each saint holds a special place as a patron for certain maladies, professions, or problems. Pray to Stephen if you have a headache, or if you are a stoneworker or a deacon. Margaret aids those who are housing insecure or abused women; and Carlo is the patron saint of internet users.

In October 2025 Pope Leo XIV will canonize seven additional saints.

Not all saints were legitimate. Some were debunked and demoted, most notably St. Christopher. As creations of pious legends, some became saints through fable rather than facts. Fourteenth century St. Roch is a good example. St. Roch became the saint for protection from the plague. Did he exist? Probably not, but communities needed hope. The story of Roch surviving the plague gave people courage and the possibility they may be spared.

Sources

Butler, Alban, and Paul Burns. Butler’s Lives of the Saints. New concise edition. Liturgical Press, 2003.

Catholic New Agency, “Body of venerable teen exhumed, too early to declare incorrupt.” January 25, 2019.

Edwards, Thomas. “Italian Church Involves Police to stop illegal online sale of alleged Carlo Acutis Relics.” The Catholic Herald, April 7, 2025

McBrien, Richard P. Lives of the Saints: From Mary and St. Francis of Assisi to John XXIII and Mother Teresa. 1st ed. Harper San Francisco, 2001.

Sito Ufficiale Associazione Carlo Acutis (Official Website of Carlo Acutis)