November XNUMXst, All Saints' Day: the Catholic Church celebrates all saints, even those not canonized. In the year 835, Pope Gregory IV chose the date of November 1475st to honor the memory of saints, martyrs and apostles. Subsequently, in XNUMX, Sixtus IV establishes that the feast of All Saints is mandatory for the whole world of Christianity. The date of November XNUMXst it is chosen not by chance but because, again on this day, at that time other rites of pagan origin were celebrated.
The targeted choice of the Catholic popes is therefore precisely that of canceling the feasts that already exist in order to better affirm the Christian faith. Holiness is undoubtedly a dimension that questions believers and non-believers; especially when it has the face of young people who end their short earthly life dramatically, with great suffering, entrusting themselves completely to the will of God.
November XNUMXst: the young face of holiness
Among the figures of holiness, emblem of the contemporary youth world, is that of Chiara Badano, Known as Clear Light o Chiara Luce Badano that was born in Sassello in Piedmont on 29 October 1971. The young woman died at the age of 19 of an osteosarcoma. Declared venerable by the Catholic Church on 3 July 2008, she was beatified on 25 September 2010. In the liturgical calendar, the date dedicated to her is that of 29 October. Among the determining reasons for the canonization are the dedication to children and the elderly that Clare manifested in her short but intense life.
And, in addition, it has been recognized the heroic behavior'with which he tried to fight against the disease which unfortunately ended his earthly existence prematurely. It should also be noted that the religious commission defined the healing of a young man from Trieste suffering from fulminating meningitis as 'miraculous'. Healing which, of course, would have taken place through the intercession of Chiara. An emblematic episode that facilitated the cause of beatification, celebrated on 25 September 2010 at the sanctuary of Divino Amore in Rome. Chiara Badano was part of the Focolarini and Chiara Lubich, founder of the movement, in the last days of her life, gave her the nickname of Clear Light. A luminous source of life and faith that continues to shine and to be an example for many young people tried by illness or other tribulations encountered in the course of life.
Carlo Acutis, the influencer of God
Another shining example of holiness is that of Carlo Acutis, defined as the influencer of God. He died in 2006 and was beatified in the Upper Basilica of Assisi October 10, 2020. Carlo's very short life, only 15 years, was overwhelmed in a fatal and inexorable way by a fulminant leukemia. The special commission attributed the healing of a Brazilian child born with a congenital malformation of the pancreas to the intercession of the young Acutis. The liturgical memorial of the 'blessed boy' is celebrated every 12 October, the day of his death. Originally from London, but raised in Milan in a wealthy family, Carlo has a great predilection for information technology with which he undertakes to make known everything about Jesus and the Catholic religion.
His mother, Antonia Salzano, defines him as God's influencer. In his vivid memories the games of his son who delighted in making videos and online magazines to communicate the faith. As an increasingly prepared programmer, Carlo is convinced that the web is an important means of evangelization. On the web you can still see the exhibition dedicated to the Eucharistic miracles created by the young man a few months before his illness. Carlo Acutis is the first Millennial to rise to the honors of the altars for the beatification, which took place in a very short time. The one who, in the common sense, is considered the patron of the internet, is a modern figure of holiness that fascinates the younger generations and offers important reasons for reflection to philosophers and theologians of our time.
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