The Top Religion News Stories of 2025

The news of Pope Francis’ death dominated headlines for days in 2025, as the media feasted on the pomp and mystery of the Vatican succession rituals and the world bade farewell to a charismatic leader who spoke frankly and acted on his own teaching. But as in every year, faith was present in so many of the headlines, and side by side with politics, faith produced some of the most compelling and inspiring events of 2025, as well as some of the most distressing and divisive. Here are the stories that were last year’s most read, most shared and most likely, in the eyes of RNS’ editors, to shape the year ahead. Read Full Article »