The Vatican announced on June 4 that eight blesseds will be presented for final approval for canonization at a public consistory presided over by Pope Leo XIV on June 13.
Among them is Pier Giorgio Frassati, the young Italian layman and social activist beloved by generations of Catholic youth, whose canonization is officially set for August 3, 2025.
The consistory — a formal gathering of cardinals residing in Rome — will vote on the canonization of the eight individuals whose causes are now in their final stage. This moment marks the first such consistory under Pope Leo XIV.
It had originally been announced by Francis during his final months, though no date had been determined.
Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901–1925), known for his deep spirituality, love for the poor, and commitment to Catholic social teaching, will be canonized in Rome at the conclusion of the Youth Jubilee, part of the Church’s 2025 Holy Year celebrations.
His sainthood has been long awaited by young Catholics around the world, who view him as a modern model of lay holiness.
Who are the future saints?
As noted by the Holy See Press Office, the eight blessed whose causes will be presented are:
Pier Giorgio Frassati (Italy): Layman, Dominican tertiary, and “man of the beatitudes,” who died at age 24 from polio contracted while serving the poor.
Bartolo Longo (Italy): Former Satanist turned apostle of the Rosary, founder of the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii.
Peter To Rot (Papua New Guinea): Married catechist and martyr under Japanese occupation during World War II.
José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros (Venezuela): Physician known as the “doctor of the poor,” whose beatification in 2021 was a major moment for the Church in Latin America.
Ignatius Maloyan (Armenia): Bishop and martyr, killed during the Armenian genocide in 1915.
Maria del Monte Carmelo (Venezuela): Religious founder of the Dominican Sisters of Santa Rosa de Lima.
Vincenza Maria Poloni (Italy): 19th-century religious sister who co-founded a congregation dedicated to serving the sick.
Maria Troncatti (Italy): Salesian missionary nurse who served Indigenous communities in Ecuador.
These canonizations will elevate laypeople, religious sisters, clergy, and martyrs — from Italy to South America to Oceania — offering a global witness to the Church’s diversity and holiness.
What About Carlo Acutis?
One notable absence from the list is Carlo Acutis, the young Italian computer whiz often called “the first millennial saint.” His cause has already been approved — during a consistory held on July 1, 2024 — and his canonization was originally set for April 27, 2025. That date was postponed following the death of Pope Francis.
It is now expected, though not confirmed, that Pope Leo XIV may announce a new date for Acutis’ canonization during the June 13 consistory. There is speculation that his canonization could be paired with that of Frassati in August, uniting two young lay witnesses of holiness in a single celebration.
As the Church prepares to declare these eight blesseds as saints, their lives offer a vivid mosaic of courage, service, and sanctity across time, culture, and vocation — and a compelling reminder that the call to holiness is for everyone.
