The year 2025 will be etched in the memory of the Catholic Church for various profoundly significant events, including the death of Pope Francis, the election of a new pontiff, and a series of testimonies of faith that resonated throughout the world.<\/p>\n
Below we take a look back at six Catholic public figures who made major headlines this past year.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis offers Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday April 4, 2021. – Credit: Vatican Media<\/p>\n
Pope Francis passed away on April 21, Easter Monday, after a pontificate marked by pastoral closeness, defense of the poorest, and a missionary approach of reaching out to the peripheries. His legacy of mercy and dialogue left a profound mark on the universal Church, and his death was a moment of sorrow for millions.<\/p>\n
His last act of love for the Church was on Easter Sunday, April 20, during the urbi et orbi blessing. Francis appeared on the balcony of the central loggia of St. Peter\u2019s Basilica to impart the blessing to the crowd of pilgrims that filled St. Peter\u2019s Square and the surrounding area.<\/p>\n
Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for the Angelus on December 14, 2025. | Vatican Media<\/p>\n
Elected in May following the conclave convened after the death of Pope Francis, Leo XIV began his pontificate with a strong emphasis on ecclesial communion, doctrinal continuity, and pastoral closeness to the poor. In October, he released his apostolic exhortation\u00a0Dilexi Te\u00a0(\u201cI Have Loved You\u201d), focused on love for the poor and the urgency of placing those most in need at the heart of the Church\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n
The Holy Father marked significant milestones throughout 2025, such as the canonization of contemporary saints \u2014 including Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati \u2014 his ongoing strong support for the Jubilee of Hope, and repeated calls for ecumenism, dialogue, and peace, especially during his first apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon.<\/p>\n
3. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa<\/p>\n
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, imparts the blessing in front of the aedicule of the Holy Sepulcher on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, where Jesus\u2019 tomb is venerated. Here ends the Way of the Cross that the Franciscan friars celebrate every Friday. – Credit: Marinella Bandini<\/p>\n
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa was one of the clearest voices of the Church amid the tragedy of war in the Holy Land. As Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, he bore witness to the suffering of Christians and civilians in Gaza and Israel, denouncing the violence and reminding everyone that Christ is present, \u201ccrucified in the wounded.\u201d His messages to young people, the faithful, and international leaders solidified his position as a moral authority who consistently called for peace, reconciliation, and respect for human dignity.<\/p>\n
His pastoral leadership was also expressed in concrete actions: visiting communities affected by the war, celebrating the feast of Our Lady Queen of Palestine, accompanying persecuted Christians, and traveling to the United States to raise awareness and funds for the Holy Land.<\/p>\n
Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, speaks with EWTN News on Oct. 9, 2025, at the Vatican. | Credit: EWTN News<\/p>\n
The bishop of El Paso, Texas, Mark Seitz, has established himself as one of the country\u2019s strongest voices in defense of migrants. From a diocese located right on the border with Mexico, he clearly affirmed that immigration is above all a \u201cmatter of the Gospel\u201d and not merely a political debate. His encouragement for bipartisan legislative initiatives such as the Dignity Act and his criticism of immigration policies that he considered \u201ccontrary to moral law\u201d reflected a pastoral approach centered on human dignity, the preferential option for the poor, and the formation of consciences.<\/p>\n
In addition, his leadership went beyond the national scene as he presented Pope Leo XIV with testimonies and letters from migrant families living in fear of deportation, a gesture that visibly moved the pontiff. He also promoted the \u201cCabrini Commitment\u201d during National Migration Week and, along with his diocese, received the 2025 Pax Christi International Peace Award.<\/p>\n
Michael Iskander as David in Prime Video’s “House of David.” | Credit: Jonathan Prime\/Prime<\/p>\n
The American-Egyptian actor Michael Iskander, known for playing King David in the Prime Video series \u201cHouse of David,\u201d delivered one of the most inspiring testimonies of faith of the year when he converted to Catholicism in 2025.<\/p>\n
Although he was raised in the Coptic Orthodox Church, Iskander shared that his conversion was a \u201ccalling from God\u201d that he felt deeply after an inner experience during a visit to St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral in Manhattan.<\/p>\n
Pope Leo XIV on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, officially inaugurated the Laudato Si\u2019 Village in Castel Gandolfo with a liturgical celebration highlighting the \u201cvocation\u201d of every person to care for creation, including a performance by Andrea Bocelli. | Credit: Vatican Media<\/p>\n
The renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli was one of the most influential Catholic figures of 2025 thanks to his testimony of faith and his participation in key events in the life of the Church.<\/p>\n
On Sept. 13, Bocelli sang in St. Peter\u2019s Square during the historic \u201cGrace for the World\u201d concert, held at the Vatican to close the World Meeting on Human Fraternity, where he offered performances of profound spiritual content and emphasized the centrality of faith, peace, and fraternity. Days earlier, after singing before Pope Leo XIV at the inauguration of the Borgo Laudato Si\u2019 ecological project, he stated that the Holy Father is \u201ca beacon to guide us in these complex times.\u201d<\/p>\n
This story\u00a0was first published\u00a0by ACI Prensa, CNA\u2019s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.<\/p>\n