An unusual initiative by the Catholic Church in Belarus has sparked reactions among the faithful, as an archbishop blessed an icon of a saint created using artificial intelligence.

According to the Belarusian media outlet Katolik.life, Archbishop Tadeusz Kontrusiewicz, former head of the Catholic Church in the country, blessed the icon on October 11 during a ceremony at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in the city of Novolukoml.

Read also: Carlo Acutis… a modern-day saint at age 15!

The icon depicts Saint Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who was canonized by the Vatican in 2025 and became known as the “patron saint of the Internet.”

Belarus has blessed its first AI-generated religious icon

The icon depicts Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who was canonized in 2025 and became known as the “Cyber Apostle.”

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The icon was installed in a Catholic church in Novolukoml, where Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz blessed it on October 11.

The move has sparked debate on social media, with some believers arguing that AI-generated images should not be used for prayer.

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 12, 2026

This move has drawn criticism on social media, with believers arguing that an image generated by artificial intelligence software cannot be considered an authentic religious icon.

According to Katolik.life, this is the first known case of an AI-generated image being blessed in Belarus. Meduza, which republished the story, notes that it was unable to find information about similar ceremonies in other countries, including Russia.

Carlo Acutis was an Italian teenager who developed a keen interest in religion—as well as technology—from a young age. He learned to code and created websites for Catholic organizations, using the Internet as a means of spreading the faith. Among his initiatives was the creation of a website that documented religious miracles from various parts of the world. This work earned him the title “patron saint of the Internet,” and he also became known as the first saint of the millennial generation.

Akutis died of leukemia in 2006, at the age of just 15. In 2025, the Vatican canonized him, officially recognizing his place among the saints of the Catholic Church.