Inside Mario Lopez’s Unforgettable Meeting With Pope Leo XIV — and the Cross He Blessed
Saved By the Bell star Mario Lopez says an Italian swing from the Winter Olympics to a honeymoon trek through Florence, Milan and Rome led to a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with Pope Leo XIV.
Mario Lopez met the pope. Not a metaphor. The Saved by the Bell alum, now 52, told me/us/you-know-the-drill that he actually got face time with Pope Leo XIV, and the story is peak Mario: a little hustle, some holy timing, and a blessed piece of jewelry to cap it off.
The papal meetup (yes, really)
Lopez was in Italy for work during the Winter Olympics and tacked on a quick honeymoon lap through Florence, Milan, and Rome. While there, he says he used a few quiet connections to set up the kind of appointment most people only dream about: a meeting with the Holy Father, complete with attending Mass and a personal blessing for his cross. The way he tells it, the whole thing was unforgettable.
'I just kind of worked some back channels to meet the Holy Father. He blessed my cross, too.'
For context: Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, made history on May 8, 2025, becoming the first pope born in the United States and taking over as head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City after Pope Francis died at age 88.
Mario on faith, family, and a Tucci name-drop
Lopez has never exactly been shy about his Catholic faith. He says he is not out to proselytize, but he is also not ducking questions about it. For him, it is about family, structure, and giving his kids a solid foundation. He mentions that his friend Father Jim is part of their circle, and that he had literally just chatted with Stanley Tucci because Tucci was in the movie Conclave. (If you have seen it, you know why that came up.)
At home, the Lopez kids are in Catholic school by design, and his daughter attends an all-girls Catholic school. According to Mario, they are into it, and the setup works well for their family.
Zooming out: a bigger wave of interest
After Leo XIV took the chair, Catholic parishes around the U.S. have apparently seen more people coming in, especially around Easter. The New York Times highlighted a few eye-popping stats and snapshots, and clergy pointed to all the uncertainty in the world (plus the lingering isolation hangover from tech and COVID) as fuel for people looking for something steadier.
- Detroit welcomed 1,428 new Catholics at Easter this year — the most the archdiocese has seen in 21 years.
- Other archdioceses — from Houston, Texas, to Des Moines, Iowa — reported similar upticks.
- In St. Louis, Archbishop Mitchell Thomas Rozanski said their numbers are back to levels they have not seen since 2016, framing it as a response to anxiety and a search for stability.
Lopez says he has been reading those reports too and thinks the renewed interest is a good thing. In his words (paraphrased): when the world is shifting under your feet, leaning into faith — something bigger than you — can offer real comfort and direction.
Where he said it
Lopez shared the story and his thoughts on Friday, May 1, while attending Calamigos Ranch Resort & Spa's Leading Hotels of the World accreditation celebration, speaking to Us Weekly.