Born on August 25

French Jesuit (1624–1709), confessor to Louis XIV for 34 years. His influence at court was considerable, particularly during the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685). The Père-Lachaise cemetery, opened in 1804 on land that had once belonged to the Jesuits, bears his name.

Polish nun and mystic, a saint of the Catholic Church. A visionary, she originated the devotion to the Divine Mercy, popularized by her spiritual diary. She was canonized by John Paul II in 2000.

American composer and conductor (1918–1990), Leonard Bernstein led the New York Philharmonic and composed major works blending classical music and jazz. He is world-renowned for the musical West Side Story (1957).

American jazz saxophonist (tenor and soprano) and composer, a major figure of modern jazz. He made his name with the Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis's second great quintet, and then the jazz-fusion band Weather Report, which he co-founded.

Salif Keïta is a Malian singer and songwriter born in 1949, nicknamed “the golden voice of Africa.” An albino descendant of Mali's royal dynasty, he established himself as a major figure in modern African music by blending Mandinka traditions with Western sounds.