Social media users criticised a Catholic church in Belarus for blessing an AI-generated image of St Carlo Acutis, questioning the use of artificial intelligence in sacred art.

The Italian teenager died of leukaemia aged 15 in 2006 and was canonised in September 2025, becoming widely known as the first millennial saint.

Archbishop Emeritus Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz blessed the AI-generated image at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Novolukoml on 11 October, in what reports described as a first for the Catholic Church.

Consecration of an AI-Generated Image

Reports say Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz presided over the ceremony, unveiling the controversial portrait as a permanent fixture for community worship.

Belarusian media reported that priests officially consecrated the image, setting the synthetic design apart exclusively for solemn prayer to God. The AI-generated portrait depicts the young saint clutching a laptop, commemorating his childhood website that documented verified Catholic miracles.

'Today we enter the world through the internet. What are we looking for there? Holiness? Far from always,' a Russian state outlet quotes the archbishop's homily.

Social Media Slams Soulless AI-Generated Sacred Art

The decision to use artificial intelligence triggered immediate condemnation online, where outraged believers slammed the church for abandoning sacred artistic tradition.

'Have we no shame? Sacred art must always be human-made,' one user identifying as a Catholic priest wrote on social media. 'Icons, if we understand the theology behind them, even more so.'

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Another online critic questioned the purpose of automated devotion, writing: 'I would draw the line here, religious art needs the human side, if not who is it for?' A third commenter mocked the decision, writing: 'The Pope was sick for one day and they went and did this.'

The blessing runs afoul of centuries of Catholic practice, which views icon creation as a meditative form of personal human prayer. Church tradition requires artists to spend hours in quiet reflection, an essential spiritual step completely bypassed by automated computer prompts.

The ceremony also drew attention to Pope Leo XIV's warnings about artificial intelligence. In his May 2026 encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, he wrote that AI systems do not experience joy or pain, mature through relationships or understand love, friendship and responsibility from within.

The Tragic Story of Saint Carlo Acutis

Born in 1991, Acutis embraced Catholicism at an early age despite growing up in a largely non-religious household. At just 11 years old, he taught himself computer programming to build an online directory cataloguing historical Eucharistic bleeding miracles worldwide.

In early October 2006, the teenager developed throat inflammation and severe pain before doctors diagnosed him with acute promyelocytic leukaemia. He offered his physical agony for Pope Benedict XVI and the Church, telling doctors: 'There are people who suffer much more than me.'

Acutis died on 12 October 2006, aged 15, after being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia. He left behind a website documenting Eucharistic miracles, reflecting his efforts to use digital media to share his Catholic faith.

Pope Leo XIV canonised Acutis in September 2025 alongside Pier Giorgio Frassati. Acutis is widely associated with the internet because of his use of digital media to promote Catholic devotion.

What Is Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia?

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukaemia, a blood cancer that affects the bone marrow and causes abnormal immature white blood cells to accumulate. These cells interfere with the production of healthy blood cells, potentially leading to anaemia, infections and excessive bleeding.

APL is particularly associated with a high risk of serious bleeding complications, making prompt diagnosis and treatment essential. However, it is also one of the most treatable forms of acute myeloid leukaemia when diagnosed early and managed appropriately.

Treatment commonly involves all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide, depending on the patient's risk profile and clinical circumstances.

Symptoms may include unusual bruising or bleeding, persistent fatigue, fever and frequent infections. These symptoms can have other causes, so medical assessment is necessary to determine the underlying condition.

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