In 1967, the very first World Communications Day was held at the Vatican, in Rome. Created by Pope Paul VI as an annual celebration encouraging people to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that modern means of social communication (press, cinema, radio, television and Internet) offer the Church to communicate the message of the Gospel. This initiative then allowed celebrities and pontiffs to meet.
Today, the message has broadened to include issues of climate change, developing country debt, global health care, education and other social causes. And so it is always important, to support this approach, when a personality known is greeted by the Pope.
Click on this gallery and discover these snapshots of yesterday and today of public figures alongside Popes who have marked history.