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Aniversário de 2025: relembrando o ano
2025 was an unforgettable year, marked by the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV in the midst of the Jubilee. The Holy Year, dedicated to hope, was opened by one Pope and is set to end on January 6 with another—a rare experience.
On the other hand, the year also saw the worsening of international geopolitical tensions and the multiplication of the “fragments” of what the last two Popes called the “Third World War.”
The world comes to Rome
More than 30 million pilgrims from all over the world came to Rome during the Holy Year to mark everyday celebrations as well as the more than 30 special events dedicated to different sectors of the Church and society.
In the midst of the joy and hope of the Jubilee, the world also witnessed Pope Francis’ hospitalization at the Gemelli Polyclinic on February 14, his death on April 21, and the funeral five days later. Over 250,000 people attended the funeral ceremony of the Argentine Pope. Nearly twice as many paid their respects as he lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica.
During his time in hospital, a number of people joined in praying the evening Rosary for the Pope’s health in St. Peter’s Square, while others prayed and kept vigil in the hospital’s courtyard.
Pope Francis’ time in hospital
At the start of 2025, Pope Francis launched the new year with an Angelus appeal against “inhuman” war, and expressed sorrow for mothers who have lost their children due to violence. Then in mid-February, the Argentine Pope entered the hospital for what initially appeared to be a “normal” case of bronchitis, but which was later revealed to be a polymicrobial infection with several crises and slow improvements.
Yet, despite his fragile health, the Pope continued his activities over the next few weeks with general and Jubilee audiences, morning and afternoon meetings, and evening phone calls to the only Catholic parish in Gaza.
He also made two significant appointments: Sister Simona Brambilla as Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (January 6); and Sister Raffaella Petrini as President of the Governorate of Vatican City State (February 15): two women, two religious sisters, for the first time at the head of major ecclesial institutions.
During this time of hospitalization, two moments were especially memorable: Pope Francis' moving audio message, recorded in Spanish, in a faint voice, from the hospital to thank the faithful for their prayers; and the photograph—the only one from those days—of the Pope wearing a hospital gown and purple stole in the small chapel on the tenth floor.
A final farewell
On March 22, doctors announced Pope Francis’ discharge from the hospital. The following day, he made his first public appearance from a balcony at the Gemelli. Then, he began his return journey to the Vatican—after a brief stop at the Basilica of St. Mary Major and the image of Salus Populi Romani.
At the time, however, no one could have imagined the tomb in the Basilica bearing the nameFranciscus, especially after the Pope had appeared publicly three times: once in St. Peter’s Square during the Jubilee of the Sick; once during a visit to the tomb of St. Pius X and the statue of Pope Benedict XV; and his last appearance for the EasterUrbi et Orbi—this was the first after his hospitalization and the last of his life.
Pope Francis greets the crowds one last time during the Easter Urbi et Orbi blessing (VATICAN MEDIA Divisione Foto)
His words are now forever etched into everyone’s memories: “Thank you for bringing me back to the Square.”
The Pope "returned to the hosue of the Father"
On Easter Monday at 9:50 a.m., the world was awakened by Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell’s announcement: “This morning, April 21, 2025, Pope Francis returned to the house of the Father.” His cause of death was a cerebral stroke followed by cardiovascular collapse.
With that, a new chapter began for the Church. A series of centuries-old traditions were set in motion with the Pope’s passing: people’s heartfelt homage to the Pope at the Casa Santa Marta and later at St. Peter’s Basilica—after the body was transferred there; the sealing of the apartment in the Apostolic Palace; the rite of the closing of the coffin; the solemn funeral; the procession through the streets of Rome; and the burial at the Basilica of St. Mary Major beneath a white marble monument.
To this day, Pope Francis’ tomb remains the site of an unceasing flow of pilgrims and visitors.
The Conclave and a new Pope
On April 27, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin celebrated the first Mass of thenovemdiales. The next day, some 180 cardinals—including those from the most remote dioceses around the world and those over eighty without voting rights—were already gathered for the first General Congregation ahead of the Conclave.
The first day of this ancient tradition to elect a successor was May 7. It would go down in history as one of the fastest conclaves, with Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost being elected the 267th Successor of St. Peter on May 8 on the fourth ballot.
Inside the Sistine Chapel during the Conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV (@Vatican Media)
He is the first Pope from the United States (born 69 years earlier in Chicago), yet he has "a Peruvian soul" after more than 22 years spent in the Latin American country as a missionary, parish priest, catechist, and bishop.
A member of the Order of St. Augustine, Prevost had served two terms as Prior General. He has degrees in mathematics and canon law and is well acquainted with the Roman Curia, having been the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
A new pontificate begins
The newly elected Pope chose the name Leo XIV, in homage to Pope Leo XIII who wroteRerum Novarum, which marked the first chapter of the Church’s Social Doctrine.
At his first appearance, Pope Leo began his address with a single word: “Peace.” The word is then repeated ten more times. In his speech, he calls for an “unarmed and disarming peace”—an expression that has become a hallmark of his pontificate.
Newly elected Pope Leo greets the crowds from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica (@Vatican Media)
The Pope also shared another aspect of his vision with the College of Cardinals during his first celebration in the Sistine Chapel, the day after his election: “Disappear, so that Christ may remain.”
Working for peace
On May 18, the leadership of the first Pope from the United States officially began with the Mass inaugurating his pontificate in St. Peter’s Square before a crowd of pilgrims and representatives from around the world.
From the outset, Pope Leo has become a voice for peace, renewing the appeal to the “great ones of the world” from the Loggia of Blessings during his firstRegina Caeli(May 11): “Never again war.”
He has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—whom he met three times, twice at Castel Gandolfo, where the Pope revived the tradition of summer residence after twelve years, staying at Villa Barberini and opening the Apostolic Palace as a museum.
Moreover, Pope Leo XIV has offered the Vatican as a place for mediation and negotiation to end the violence in Ukraine and to strengthen diplomatic efforts—often carried out “behind the scenes”—for all conflict zones.
Young people as the protagonists of 2025
Pope Leo continued his predecessor’s legacy by canonizing two young saints, Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati on September 7. Originally, one was set for the Jubilee of Youth and the other during the Jubilee of Adolescents. However, both ceremonies were postponed following Pope Francis’ death.
One of the most significant moments of these first eight months with Pope Leo was the Jubilee dedicated to young people from July 28 to August 3. More than one million young people of different ages and backgrounds filled Rome that week, before gathering at Tor Vergata for the vigil and Mass with the Pope.
Türkiye and Lebanon
Pope Leo made his first international apostolic journey to Türkiye and Lebanon from November 27–December 2. The Turkish leg was planned for the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. During that visit, the Pope traveled to Ankara, then Istanbul to meet with the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I. There, he celebrated the commemorative ceremony in Iznik, present-day Nicaea, on the shores of the lake where the remains of the Basilica of St. Neophytos stand—the site of the ecumenical council.
The Pope makes his first international apostolic journey (@VATICAN MEDIA)
In Lebanon, the Pope visited the site of the 2020 Port of Beirut explosion and embraced survivors and families of the victims. He also celebrated a “mini World Youth Day” in Bkerké with 15,000 young people from the country and across the Middle East. The Pope spoke to patriarchs and representatives of Christian Churches and leaders of other religions with whom he prays for peace and urged leaders of countries at war to lay down their arms.
Looking ahead to 2026
After a year of special jubilee events and special ceremonies, the Holy Year will conclude on January 6 with the closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. The other three papal basilicas have already closed their Holy Doors: Santa Maria Maggiore on December 25, St. John Lateran on December 27, and St. Paul Outside the Walls on December 28.
The Extraordinary Consistory will convene on January 7–8, 2026. Cardinals from all over the world who are able to travel will come to Rome to partake in these two days of reflection and prayer. The goal is to offer “support and counsel” to Pope Leo in the governance of the universal Church—one oriented toward listening, synodality, and unity, overcoming all polarization.