Pope Francis has announced that during the Jubilee 2025 celebration, two days will be dedicated to Catholic influencers. This decision follows the success of the first world meeting of Catholic influencers held at World Youth Day (WYD) in Lisbon, which brought together digital missionaries to share and promote their faith online.
Scheduled for July 28-29, 2025, this gathering aims to provide Catholic influencers with a platform to reconnect and continue their mission of evangelizing through digital media. These influencers, often referred to as religious influencers, play a crucial role in spreading the message of the Church and engaging with younger generations who are active on social media.
An example of a prominent religious influencer is Fr. Heriberto Garcia, who boasts 250,000 followers on Instagram. Prior to attending WYD in Lisbon, Fr. Garcia highlighted the importance of social media in connecting with young people who could not attend the event in person. “For many young people, it is important because most of them experience World Youth Day remotely. Not everyone can go,” Fr. Garcia explained. “So, it is through our eyes that they will have the experience of young people with a lively faith, who are there to meet the pope and to meet a lot of people. It is a great responsibility and, at the same time, I am very hopeful that I will learn a lot.”
The Vatican continues to explore ways to integrate evangelization with the digital world, recognizing its potential to reach wider audiences. Sister Valladares, chosen by Pope Francis to prepare for the Synod, is actively involved in this effort. She uses social media daily to engage with people, listen to their concerns, and offer spiritual guidance.
Pope Francis has long been interested in how influencers can positively impact society. In 2016, he met with 11 YouTubers from different countries, emphasizing the importance of using the Internet for good.
The upcoming Jubilee 2025 promises to be a significant event for Catholic influencers, offering them an opportunity to deepen their mission and connect with a global audience in their shared faith.
