Belarusian archbishop blesses AI-created portrait of internet-patron saint Carlo Acutis

On October 11, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, who previously led the Catholic Church in Belarus, blessed an artificial-intelligence generated icon of Carlo Acutis inside the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Novolukoml. Acutis, an Italian teenager canonized by the Vatican in 2025 and dubbed the “patron saint of the internet,” is shown in the digital portrait. The blessing w.life, which noted that believers on social media contested the legitimacy of an AI-made image as a true icon.

The portal claimed this was the first AI-generated icon ever blessed in Belarus and could not locate similar blessings in other nations, including Russia. Critics argue the practice blurs traditional religious art standards, while supporters see it as a modern outreach tool. The event highlights the intersection of faith and emerging technology.