A New Patron Saint of the Internet? Holy Cross Professor Explains the Process of Becoming a Saint

In what has been considered a puzzling act by some, a teenage computer whiz from Italy - nicknamed "the patron saint of the internet" - was beatified on Oct. 10, 2020, making him the first millennial to be put on the path to Catholic sainthood. 

In an article for The Conversation, Joanne Pierce, professor of religious studies at Holy Cross and a scholar of medieval liturgy and culture, explains the process of becoming a saint and how canonizing children is nothing new in the Catholic Church.

According to Pierce, there has been a long history of including children among the saints approved for official recognition and veneration. "Nonetheless, this long history shows that sanctity is not limited to adults who lived in the distant past. In the eyes of the Catholic Church, an ordinary teenager in the 21st century too can be worthy of veneration."

To read the full article, go to TheConversation.com.